A Little Too Late
by Risqueperformance
Summary: Starting off from what had happened after the final session. The story will be A SpikeFaye.
1. Aqueous Transmission

Author:RisquePerformance

Rated:PG, although this first chapter is fairly simply and holds no violence or sexual content, my further chapters will so If you do not enjoy violence and sexual content I advice you not to read the first chapter.

Disclaimer:I do not own Cowboy Bebop, this is mearly a Fan writing what She thinks could have happened.

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"The building no longer holds a significance as it once did." The television flashes to a screen of a building in ruins then back to the newscaster. "The fight that destroyed the building seems to be caused by the well know Red Dragon Syndicate. Many men are found wounded or dead within the building. The death toll included two men that were found around the area of the roof. One man was found spread out on the roof and the other was found face down on the descending staircase. We are being led to believe that the killings had ended with these two men." The news caster puts her hand to her ear and looks down obviously trying to hear an incoming status. She looks up a slight excitement on her face.

"We have just heard that neither man can be identified." Two photos are posted on either side of the news caster to show the unidentified men. The left photo shows a man with long silver hair draped slightly over his face eyes slightly open. The right photo was a photo of a tall man with a straight long nose and a dark swamp green mess of a hairdo. Both men were covered with blood. Both were noticeably dead. The woman anchor looks back at the camera her brown hair bobbing as she winces at the two horrific photos obviously surprised her news network would show such images. She catches her breath and begins to speak again. "The I.S.S.P. has asked that if any known information about either man please call…"

The stoic bald man sitting on the yellow beat up couch flipped off the TV and sighed. The dark room enveloped the man as he sat still in wonder. Jet Black knew his partner was dead before he even left the ship that day. He knew his partner was dead before he felt the need to finish the fight. He did not need the news to confirm what he already knew. What he wanted to confirm was what would happen now. What would happen after the cowboy left?

His eyes burning from lack of sleep, looked around his empty sitting room quarters imagining his once shipmates surrounding him.

The same green haired man slouching against the stairway railing smoking a long inflamed cigarette his eyes opening and closing as he gives a smirk at the girl speaking.

A raven haired beauty surrendering herself to the green chair as she paints her nails and spits venomous words at the smirking green haired man.

A young girl playfully laying upside down on the coffee table as she taps away at a computer commonly called a fruit name as she shouts out a limerick that constructs as much as an oddity as a answerless riddle.

A light brown dog, a corki, whines and rolls over pushing his back against the woman's leg as he snores a light puppy sleep much against her protests of him touching her.

A door slams and Jet is pulled out of his invision. He hangs his head down low and looks back up at the blank TV screen seeing the reflection of him sitting in the empty room unlike his vision. He stands slowly stretching watching the dust particles cling to the air as he looks off at the door that was just slammed. He stops at the door to the room she has locked herself within for the past four nights. Her muffled cries each night have shown him the emotion he too feels for his lost comrade, but can not express.

Jet looks at the door then knocks as lightly as he can with his metallic arm. Placing one hand against the cold metal of the hallway interior he leans in to listen. No answer but he can see the movement from under the door panel. "Faye, can I come in?" He asks looking away from the door like it pains him to know his lady friend is distressed over the cowboy's death. He does not know if it's a stress that she could not help him or a stress that she's lost him. When it came to the two squablers he always knew there was a connection further than friendship, but they never got a chance to express it. Jet believes when the man had gone to finish it, Faye had finally succumbed to her feelings. The man could have felt the same way, but under the passions and love he had for the angel of his past it was and would always remain deeply hidden.

Raping his hand again against the door he listens for a response. Still no answer except an audible sucks in of breath, probably due to pain. Jet grabs the handle and twists slowly peeking in to make sure the beauty was dressed.

The thick air of the musty room surrounded him. The thickness was due to the cigarettes that littered the table. They always ruined the clean air with their smoking addictions. The one thing they openly would admit in front of anyone as a similarity. Jet always thought the addiction filled their needs of the past and not the true addiction of nicotine. It was quick filler to what they were missing in life.

"Did the bounty go through," he asks before attempting to look at her. As he finally let his eyes set upon her he sees her sitting on the bed with a rag to her thigh. The only light in the room coming from a dim table lamp and it itself has taken a liking to spreading its warmth across her pale skin.

The rag runs red as she cleans the wound. She looks not to be in pain as she cleans it with even the toughest of rubbing alcohol. Her stance is different. Broken almost. Her sweater that was once strategically placed to show off her promiscuous curves is now fully on her body covering her upper torso. She does not look up, but through the violet tented hair that has fallen over her face he sees her eyes are glimmering because of the shimmer of tears they hold. Jet sees that she is thinking of her fallen partner and not the pain. She is painless these days.

"Faye.." Jet repeats her name and she looks up broken from her trance. Her green eyes look huge and innocent in the dim light.

"Yeah.," she asks in a response weakly. Jet looks at her make-upless face, noticing how she does not try to invoke the stares of men now. "Did you get the bounty," he repeated. He saw her carelessly grab the money card and place her own against as she withdrawals some money. She then tossed it to him with out an answer but Jet took it as positive. He looked at the worn card and back at her. His eyes lingered to the rag covering her leg as she cleaned up. "He fight tough," he asked keeping away from eye contact. Her emerald eyes are so different but as of lately he sees the cowboys once entrancing eyes in them. The have the same alluring hollowness, they look like they are missing something. A fire inside. Faye shrugged and began to put the bandage around her thigh wrapping it tightly before grabbing her cigarette pack and the silver lighter the man used to keep on him.

Jet saw this and figured it was a motion not telling him to leave the room but advising him to. He crept back out of the room looking back at her before he left and shut the door. He stared at her body slouched over as she put the cigarette to her lips Watching her eyes dance because of the flame the weak lighter produced. He shut the door letting Faye expose herself to the smokey insides she craved for.

He knew he would not attain more than what she had said to him in the past few minutes he stood there. Faye had come in hours after the fool had left, hours after he had seen his ship depart, still clutching her bullet less gun and said "He's gone." She walked out and off the ship in her Red Tail to pursue a gamblers paradise with the money she did not have. His Money. Jet gave it to her with out her even glancing or suggesting she wanted it. He gave it because he knew it would band aid the prison she locked her once again frozen heart in. The prison it will stay in until her body and mind catches up with its old age.

He flipped the card between his fingers and left to fill a fridge that was now meant for two lonely people.

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She took a long drag of the cigarette the smoke filling her lungs and giving her that fulfillment she lost when she lost herself. Her chest was empty. No heart beating wildly. No heart that makes her crazy for the lust of the eyes of different men, or the one man who never cared. No heart to make her crave the chase of a fight. The fight was her heart. She could not have a beating heart with out the fight within and out and she could not have the fight without the heart.

Faye looked at her wound tight thigh as she blew the smoke out slowly letting it create a slight burn to her moistened eyes. She stared at the bandages that were already receiving a slight pink tint.

She had almost lost that bounty today. Her frozen heart was not into it as it used to be. He had caught her leg with the edge of a knife when he went to tackle her before escaping. She jumped up not feeling the pain; she would never feel pain again. She was back to being frozen, stuck with where she was placed. When the bounty ran off she jumped up and shot twice once in the hand wielding the knife and the next directly in the knee. The bounty fell and she had just made thirty million woolongs. She did not care. Taking a last drag of her ciggerate she held the smoke in then let it out. Flicking the cigarette into the dirty cluttered ashtray as she stood up.

Standing up she undid her sweater and left it there draped halfway off the bed. She grabbed her robe dragging it across the floor as she walked out of the dark room. Taking slow steps she was leading herself to a sanctuary to let herself go. She was dying and she could feel it. She was not dying in the literal sense, but her spirit. She was always fueled to fight because of anger.

Anger that her memory of her past was gone. Was being the opportune word. She just recently began to get her memory back. Now that it was back she was no longer angry that she could not remember, she was angry that she could. Faye had always thought that her memories would make her happiest but they only show her what of her past that no longer exists. Friends. Family. The only friends and family she has now are one in the same. Her family now is almost gone. Two left for Earth and one possibly dead.

Her anger these days relied all on herself. How she would get herself caught up in gambling ignoring the lofty debt she had. The fire it created in her belly was like a passion only a man could give her. No one understood why gambling was so hard to quit. Money was something everyone wanted. It created pleasure wherever it was at. She wanted pleasure to fill her empty body where her memories were to be. She gambled for her memories once, now she was afraid she was gambling because of her frozen heart.

Her anger was the cause of it all. How she would let herself fight with that man, that lunkhead. He fueled her for her anger spits for the rest of the battle of catching a bounty. He fueled her in a way no man did when they made her angry, it was different with him. An enjoyment or better yet a satisfaction. She always came back to secretly forgiving him though. She could never stay mad at anyone, not even the person she hated most. Herself. She did not hate him though. Never did.

Faye looked around the bathroom; it had not been cleaned yet. Locking the door she looked in the mirror at her worn face. The dark circles under her eyes were too prominent lately due to crying and worrying for the dead at night. Not the dead, but the could be dead. Not even the could be dead. She worried for him. Faye didn't try putting make up on because she knew it would be worn off because of tears or lack of care.

Faye let her eyes wander to the sink edge staring at the artifacts laid across it. There was her lipstick, looking like an alien being next to the many different manly products of razors and combs. Her eyes lingered on the hairbrush too long that was cluttered with strangles of green hair. Huffing out a hot breath she turned the shower on let the water heat before she washed away the pain she should feel.

The yellow outfit she let fall to the ground after removing it was still weighing on her. Before stepping in the shower she stares at it feeling the burden it continuously brings her. Her gamblers hand will have to wait so she can create a new outlook for herself. The banana color outfit helped with the catching of bounties and their hearts but being looked upon as the whore that no one cared for was not worth it anymore. She would simply have to begin using her physical combat to catch her bounties.

She pulled the curtain back and stepped into the steam that her shower created. Letting the water spray her body she lingered her thoughts to those of weeks past. Faye thought of her past crew mates and the last shared moments of contentness.

The giant leader bending over a stove cooking a meal for five as she looked on laughing at his pink apron tied tightly around his waist.

The bouncing young girl searching for a bounty that she would allow a reward for no matter how much her endless ramblings annoyed her.

The mutt licking the water from a shower off of her feet as she curses then gives a head rub too.

The man offering a cigarette that she accepts as she watches his eyes take in the burning flame, deep in thought.

Faye grabbed the soap and began to scrub so hard with frustration; she forgot that she was trying so hard to not let her emotions show. Forgetting she was trying to hold her tears in.

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The Computer screen blinks in a dark room. The room is empty besides a bed there is no personal collections around except a few electronical items. Three beds lay in the room. Only one has an occupant on it. The person begins to type furiously then giggles a child's youthful laugh as she tracks an old fishing boat drifting in the sky. A dog barks. "Ein! Do not fret soon Bebop ship will be back to get Ed and we will go fly away once again!" the child speaks in a Waverly voice shaking her fingers as though the idea was mysterious and scary. The dog whimpers. The red haired girl grabs the dog by the cheeks and brings her nose to its snout a sudden sadness in her always happy features. "Ed wants to see Faye-Faye, Spikey, and Jet Person…Don't you want to see the people!?" Ein stares at his friend and rolls over letting his tail wag. "ZOOM!!!"Giggling Ed yells as she jumps onto the floor as if she was flying a ship and begins crawling on all fours like her furry friend Ein. She reaches to pick up her remote control desperate on controlling the Bebop to come pick her up once again.

_ LEAD THE WAY COWGIRL_

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There will be following chapters, but you will have to wait. I am going through finals next week but as soon as I return home for the summer the remainding chapters will be written and posted, I will try and Hurry them as much as I can.

Please Review, It'll help me write the chapters faster as well.

-RP


	2. Turn Smile Shift Repeat

Author:RisquePerformance

Rated:PG, although this chapter is fairly simple and holds no violence or sexual content, my further chapters will so If you do not enjoy violence and sexual content I advice you not to read the first chapter.

Disclaimer:I do not own Cowboy Bebop, this is mearly a Fan writing what She thinks could have happened.

_CLICK_

_He stops as the barrel points directly at his head. Her manicured hand wrapped around it._

"_Where are you going? Why are you going? You told me once... that the past didn't matter... You're the one who's tied to their past," She demands at him. Her voice never losing its defiance._

_He coolly turns and looks at her, bending closely and swiftly his face inches from hers. Burning his dark brown eyes into her emeralds. "Look at these eyes. One of them is a fake, because I lost it in an accident. Since then, I have been seeing the past in one eye, and the present in the other. I had believed that what I saw was not all of reality..."_

"_Don't tell me things like that... You never told me anything about yourself! Don't tell me stuff like that now," She cuts him off, her voice now beginning to waver._

_He continues to bore his eyes into hers and begins again. "I thought I was watching a dream that I would never awaken from. Before I knew it, the dream was all over." He turns away and begins to walk down the corridor. Walking to what they both know will be the end of the cowboy._

"_My... memory came back," she says not looking at him. The man stops where he is walking towards to listen. She sighs. "But... nothing good came out of it. There was no place for me to return to... This was the only place I could go back to! But now...Where are you going?! Why do you have to go?! Are you telling me you're going to just throw your life away," she eagerly questions him._

"_I'm not going there to die. I'm going there to see if I really am alive," he slowly states before continuing his final round of walking._

_The beauty raises her gun high in the air and shoots._

_**BANG**_

With a huff of air, Faye sits up in bed. Breathing heavily she clutches the blankets to her chest. She rises her knees up close to her torso and hugs them. Shutting her eyes she thinks about the last moments she shared with him. Her hand reaches out to the night stand reaching for a cigarette. Putting it to her lips she pops open his silver lighter to give her needed filler.

She takes a long drag as she stands up, her gray shorts shifting lower on her waist. She stretches letting her young bones crackle. Walking out of her musty room she walks around the living quarters. It was quietly peaceful. She stares at the clock. 7:46. Too early.

She blames her dream for her past early mornings. Since he left and didn't come back she's been having the same dream. Every night she tosses and turns and wakes up at the same point. She wonders to herself if the dream is telling her if she should have aimed lower and shot him herself. She could have stopped him, she didn't though. She tried but she knew better than to interfere with his past.

Faye dragged her feet to the observation deck. It was lighter out than what it should be. It should be dark as they floated endlessly in space waiting for his call. Assuming Jet landed at a port she walked off.

Bringing her cigarette back to her lips she turned around stalking off towards the kitchen. When she got there she prepared a pot of coffee. Pacing back and forth Faye dangles the cigarette from her lips skillfully. She grasps the remainder of the nicotine left in the stick and blows the smoke out.

Leaning over the sink, Faye cleans out a coffee mug. Watching the coffee dribble into the pot she looks into her reflection. _'I look old, my age seems to be catching up'_ she says in her head giving a small smile. The first in days. Turning back turning back to the sink she grabs the mug and pours the black awakener into it. Reaching high for the sugar the memory hits her hard.

"_Why do you pour so many sweeteners into it?" he inquires as he watches the sugar flow into the black water._

"_It tastes better this way," she relies taking a sip of her sugary contraption fingering the deck of cards on the table._

"_All you're doing is poisoning yourself" he says grabbing the cards and stalking off to his yellow couch leaving her to wonder his exact meaning behind his last words._

Shaking her head she says "either come back or stay away you bastard." Faye grabs the sugar and starts to pour. Stopping she grabs her mug bringing it towards her lips. She hesitates then takes a large sip of its pure blackness. Without taking another second to think Faye spits out the venomous liquid into the sink. Pouring a large amount of sugar into the rest of her coffee she muses _'you disgusting lunkhead'_.

She sits at the table taking in her surroundings letting her eyes wander back to the clock. 8:02. She looked around. _'Something isn't right'_ she murmured in her mind.

Ignoring her gut, Faye stood and swigged the rest of her coffee. Standing over the sink again she began to pour herself another cup.

"FAYE!!" She dropped her mug in the sink from the booming voice. Looking at the shattered remains she listens as the voice picks up volume again, "How many times do I have to tell you not to touch the damn ship controls!?"

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He woke up to his alarm like it was just a normal day. He knew that there was not any news to wake up to. Jet thought over how to tell her the idiot was not going to come back.

"Dammit, why did you leave me with this responsibility you prick," he said to no one but a ghost.

He hefted out of bed and began to dress his metal arm which felt heavier than usual. He strutted his way out of the room towards the kitchen.

Stopping he looks out the window. _'Light.." _he ponders as he looks at the rocky area with crater holes and sees a small sign. Jet's eyes grow large as he yells over his shoulder "FAYE!!!" Hearing glass break he knows she is awake. Continuing he shouts "How many times do I have to tell you not to touch the damn ship controls!?

He looks around his breathing becoming heavier. He softens. There was reason to be angry, but it was not like they had anything to finish there. _'No one was coming back,'_ he thought.

Faye comes into the control room looking at him with a stupor on her face. "I didn't touch the controls," she calmly says.

"It's ok Faye, I'm not angry," Jet says watching her facial features harden.

"I said I did not touch them," she says in a loud harsh tone.

"Then how the hell did we get on Earth!?" His voice rising a level. He did not need her games right now.

Her eyes go wide. "Earth? Even if I would have touched them to bring us here I wouldn't have. We still have not gotten word on if everything is confirmed." She sighs. "We don't know if he's coming back or not yet," she says quietly her emeralds trying to stay calm.

"Yes we have.." Jet fades off looking away. He can not look at those wobbling emeralds.

"What!?" She yells. He can sence her strong anger. He looks into her face her eyes growing huge. She opens her mouth to begin to speak. She's cut off as she hears a quiet bark.

They both turn their heads fast towards the window looking for that blur of red they both know so well. "It can't be.." Jet says but he is cut off as Faye begins to run towards the outer door.

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"Bebop. Doobop. Quetop. Lelop…BEBOP!" The girl yells. She looks down at her furry friend. "EIN! Ed sees the Bebop!" Balancing her trusty laptop, Edward begins to run towards the old fishing ship. Her young eyes huge with a slight shimmer.

"Ein! Edward found Bebop! Ein?" The girl looked all over for the small corki but did not see him until she looked back at the ship. The dog was already at the door barking anxiously. Ed began to run towards the ship to meet up with her companion. "Bebop! Open Sesame!" The young girl yelled playfully to gain entrance as she pushed the entrances buttons.

"Ed! What are you doing here?" Jet yelled as him and Faye opened the door from the inside to reach the girl. The redheaded child jumped into Jets big arms as Faye watched smiling.

The girl was giggling as she jumped to Faye's arms. "Ed missed Bebop," she explained as she hugged the woman tighter. Faye felt her eyes water realizing she was letting herself feel more for the child than what she should have. She really did miss the child, but her coming back only made her think about the lost cowboy.

"Ed, where's your father," Jet asked worried for the answer. He watched the girls eyes grow big and hold on to Faye even harder. Faye gentlely eased her to the floor but never let go of her hand.

"Ed's father took Ed to an aquarium, but he met a pretty lady. Ed waited for a night at the aquarium for him to comeback. Ed even swam with the fish!" Jet laughed but thought about how much of an idiot her father truly is. "Bebop is where Ed wants to be. Can Ed stay," She asked warily.

Faye smiled "Of course Ed can stay," she answered not waiting for Jets answer because she already knew what it was.

"Ein too!?" The girl asked excitedly causing Jet to let another howl of laughter out.

"Of course, that goes with out being said Ed you know that." He answered watching the child's emotions change rapidly on her face. She was the energy that they needed. She was going to help gain what was lost. "Let's go inside and get you set back up. Hungry?" He asked the girls but needed no answer when Ed's stomach screamed a grumble at them. "Of course you are let's go"

Edward ran past the two inside with her tomato bopping on her head. "Spike-Person!!! Ed is home." She listened for a grumble or even a hello. Nothing came. "Jet-person where's Spike-Person?" She asked. He looked over at the redhead. Her innocence proved that she wouldn't understand the truth.

When he started to open his mouth he heard "Spikes on a bounty hunt Ed, He'll be home when he gets done." Jet looked at Faye and her soon to be broken promise. She smiled at the child and walked back to her room. Shutting the door with a quiet click. Groaning he looked down at the child. "What will it be for dinner?" He smiled at her.

"Bell Peppers and Beef," She exclaimed knowing that was all they had. "Ed missed Jet-Person most," she said giving Jet a hug smiling up at him.

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A hospital room dressed in light greens and blues takes on too many guests. Doctors and nurses rush around one another. An older nurse drops a tray of surgical tools and flusters to gather them. She pushes walks through the open door and hits the key pad to shut the door. The silver door slides shut shows an emblem of a withering red dragon cascading across its front.

The room is packed with bloody men and medical employees. Men are situated around the room. There are two beds, each with three men sitting on them. Others are sitting on counters, some are even on the floor. Some are helping move men that are hurt to an extent of unconsciousness. It resembles an old war hospital. Technically it is much more pathetic cause than the idea of an actual war.

An elder gentleman stands over a young man missing an arm. The man is sprawled out over a counter his other arm drooping over the side. Shaking his head he covers the body and head of the man with a white sheet. He looks at his partners and assistant. "How many is the death count?" He looks at the young women waiting for the details.

She takes a breath and looks through her light brown bangs. "Thirteen found dead at the scene." She looks across the room and lets her eyes fall at a man sitting against the wall breathing shallowly. Her eyes glimmer with hope and sadness.

"And here at the hospital?" Another elder man asked. His long grey hair was swept into a low ponytail. His pointy features made him look inhuman but that he definitely was.

She looks back. "Eight have died here at the hospital. Another eleven wounded but are able, and four are critically wounded," Her eyes wander back to the man as she speaks. Her eyes are taking in his blood soaked blonde hair.

The elder man takes a hand and wipes the sweat back from his brow. "Thank you Maya, go look over him if you wish," he acknowledges her. Nodding the girl slowly but eagerly makes her way to the blonde man. She drops and holds him as he whispers in her ear.

"Who are the critically wounded men," the younger partner wonders to his elder partners. A wounded man cuts through their small circle mumbling sorry as he passes. The same man watched the wounded wander off before he turned to a doctor. The doctor looks up at the others and back to his companion. The other doctor walks between the three men.

"We found that four of your men are in critical care. We perceive only two to live. Maybe even three." The grim looking doctor looks between the men awaiting a reply.

The man with the ponytail looks up setting his jaw. "Who is looking towards death?" he is the first to ask?

The doctor expected it. He already prepared his answer. "The young one, Shin, had a bullet nik his heart. He will not make it." Sighing he began again "the other is the cause to all this destruction."

The first elder snaps his head up. "Spiegal?" He says looking at the two doctors who are obviously shocked he knows.

"Yes sir," the doctor pauses and looks at Maya watching with care over the young man. "the other men are still critical but at least ones looking towards a long recovery. That blonde man your assistant is attached to will live, but if we can't get these men out sooner we won't have an area to help him."

Nodding the younger man exclaims to his partners "I'll take care of it." He walks off and begins to tell the men to leave that everything is handled and to go to another wing to be treated.

The other two men look to each other knowing the final question to ask. The more daring elder with the ponytail speaks up once again, "And what is to come of the other one." Both the doctors and the two men know that he is referring to Vicious.

The doctor knows the men are anxious but his news is neither good nor bad. "He's sleeping, as he will until we can create a procedure or medication to recreate brain matter. He is stuck at fifteen percent brain power. Oxygen to the brain was deprived for too long. He's been in a comatose since we found him. And chances are he will stay that way.

The young elder returns at the end and opens his mouth to ask but a young nurse comes bursting in "Sir quick he's flat lining!!" She runs out as the doctors turn on their heels to follow her. The men watch from the window as they surround the man. The comrades lay side by side on two tables. "Clear!" is yelled by a doctor as he sets the instruments on the bare chest and allows the currents to set through the mans body. The young nurse begins a countdown from five. Once she hits five clear is heard yelled directly and loudly through the room again. The machine beeps once after a pause it begins to beep again.

The men look back and forth between each other and the two comrades. The doctor comes out of the room whipping his hands clean. Nodding he walks off to take care of the wounded man in the main room.

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**A/N: Sorry it took so long to update. Those finals really kicked in hard and the whole unpacking thing wasn't happening. I tried making an extra long chapter and I've already started the third so it won't be too long before the next update.**

**PS. Each chapter is a song title almost just like the sessions from the original show. Last chapter was entitled Aqueous Transmission which is by Incubus. This chapter is Turn Smile Shift Repeat by Phantom Planet.**

**Read and Review please again it gives me a reason to type more knowing you guys are enjoying it not to mention will help fix my faults, I strongly agree with critism.  
**


	3. Heaven Forbid

Looking up to the red sky the man exhales the smoke. The clouds move faster than what they should. The area is baron. Empty. It is a city but there is no life. Turning his head he sees a figure of a human walking down the middle of the street. No cars in view. There's nothing moving but the figure and the breaths of smoke that he exhales. The man becomes into view. As they see each other the curses under their breath can be audible to only one another. Sitting down on the bench besides him they avoid the awkwardness and drink in the silence. Neither is allowing the past to anger them.

They both avoid each other. Looking down opposite ends of the street awaiting for movement to break the sickening blows that what has happened to end.

"Where are we?" the silver haired man asked first breaking the silence. Looking at the man through the corner of his eye the green haired man was shocked. He never would have believed that the other would break. The man was thinking silently in thought about the area. The lanky man studied his once friends profile.

"Hell?" the other man breaks the silence again. "Yes of course hell, I'm sitting next to you," he quietly states. This causes the green haired man to grimace but chuckle as well.

"If we were in hell Julia would be standing across this bare road and we would never be able to cross," the lanky fellow retorted and paused awaiting for the other man to take his turn to laugh. He never did. "No, I think we are somewhere much more." He finished.

"More?" the man looked disgusted. "How can we be someplace more if it is only us within this world?" He finally looked at his green haired friend. "You never were one for reality Spiegal," he scoffed as he drank in their lonely surroundings once again.

"Does this look like reality?" Spike argued obviously offended. "This does look like hell to me, but again I was in hell while living, I know the difference."

"Your version of hell was the loneliness of never being with Julia. My hell was hurting her to make her turn to you. Then causing myself pain." The man cut in.

"A vicious cycle," Spike exclaimed causing the silver haired man to chuckle at the accidental play on words.

Silence began to creep upon them again. The surroundings were cooling off, but there was still no movement. No sound except their breathing. "Why did you finish it Spiegal. Why didn't you run after she died. Was it revenge?" Vicious asked breaking the silence again looking back up to him?

"Not revenge," Spike answered as he stubbed out his cigarette. "She was a part of it, but she was not the guiding force."

Vicious looked at his brown eyes searching. The colors matched again. The answer he got was surprising. He had thought Julia was Spike's reason for anything. "Then what, why are we dead? What was so important?" he demanded slowly becoming angry.

Spike made a tight face. He did not want to admit it. He shut his eyes and saw Julia behind one lid and a ship behind the other. His image of Julia faded and was gone. Both eyes saw the ship. Opening and closing his eyes he tried to fix his vision to allow him to see both again, especially the blonde goddess. His vision had already fixed itself though.

"I asked why Spike," vicious declared loudly breaking Spike from his visual of home.

Breathing Spike answered "this was bigger than us Vicious, no more people deserved to die because of us," he trialed off saying the last to himself "especially them."

Vicious stared at his once friend then away. He understood and agreed. Laying back he stared at the now dark sky. Shutting his eyes he began to rest.

Spike ignored him as he thought about his shipmates. His friends.

The bossy retired cop cutting his bonsai trees as he excitedly told the young red head a story about his old days in the ISSP.

The read head child walking around the ship on her hands yelling about herself as she balances her precious computer on her feet.

The brown dog carrying his bowl around awaiting food that any of them would drop or so graciously give him.

The beautiful shrew stealing his cigarettes and sitting on the flight deck with smoke enveloping her.

Sighing he laid back and tried to remember Julia. His angel. All he could muster up in his head was her death. How their second meeting was quick. How he had held her.

_He watched his blonde goddess fly through the air. It was all slow motion. He screamed for her. The rain began to pelt the roof harder. His voice was hard to hear but his heart was beating hard enough for another to feel. Running to her he rolled her over into his arms._

_Sighing Julia looked up into his brown eyes and knew it was coming. " This is... a dream..." she said in a breathy voice before shutting her eyes indeffinitly. Raising his head, Spike looked for answers. He already knew them. He'd rather look for the last remaints of her dying star.  
_

Counting the multicolored stars he heard Vicious cough. It happened again and then he shook heavily. Spike sat up quick looking over the man as he laid still. He startled spike when he shook once again. After second time he suddenly sat up his breathing heavy. He coughed clean air out of his lungs beating his chest feeling the quick currents through his body.

"Vicious?!" Spike yelled not concerned but in wonder. "What's going on?"

"We are not dead Spiegal, but we are pretty damn close." He said finally catching his breath.

"Alive?" Spike asked while his eyes grew round. "How do you figure it? What was happening to you anyways?"

"Happening to me? I was about to rest when I felt a charge in my chest." Vicious paused to look out to the coast. Some barin houses scattered the horrorizon. "Where did those come," he mumbled to himself getting up to walk in the direction of the new find.

"Then what? You looked to be having a seizure." He watched his comerad as he walked off. Standing up Spike dusted his blue suit off and followed in suit behind the dark man. He recieved no answer from his previous question. Vicious was busy keeping his eyes steady on the buildings before him. Spike lifted his head to search for what they were walking towards. His gaze finally focused on a three story mansion in the middle. It's gray exterior looked ancient and broken against the style of the other houses surrounding it. It was out of place. It was home.

Both men stopped on the field across the street of the row of buildings. It was crooked, falling apart at the seams. Lush vines were taking over it's existance. Both men didn't speak. Both secretly threatening the building as they thanked it's existance.

"Red Chain Mansion," Vicious first spoke. His eyes contained a fear. Spike understood the fear he was feeling. They were memories that shouldn't be rediscovered. Memories that hurt and brought pleasure. Wincing Spike understood what the house had meant. Their stolen childhoods. The first Red Dragon orphenage. Or schoo as they whould have it be.

Leaning against a wobbly pillar, Spike thought of the hard place. He was droped off here as a baby. His mother must have thought it was a real orphanage. This was the only home he knew as a child. The rooms were by the hundreds. Three children to a room. Vicious and Spike shared a room. The dragons could never put a third child into the room because a conflict would occur. Usually the conflict being the boys painfully removing the third child of their home. The dragons would give them their natural education but by the time they were fifteen they began the real training. They never got a choice. Only a few recieved the ability to deny the red dragons. Spike was one of those few. Actualy Vicious was as well. Anyone that had been there since birth was given the option to leave. They all stayed. It was all they had ever known in life.

He was quickly pushed out of his thoughts as he heard the door creek shut. Vicious had entered the house without him. Shoving his hands deep in his pockets Spike followed him inside.

There facing the two men was a blank soundless hallway. Seven doors lined the walkway. Three on each side and at the end of the hall a seven door . Reaching for the first door, Spike was met with child laughter. The room held walls of televisions each playing a different scene. One wall was of Spike alone with others and one wall with Vicious as the same.

Vicious watched as he grew on the different monitors. Eyes darting between the images. Reading an advanced book at ten. Practicing his swordfighting at fourteen. Losing his virginity at seventeen. The images were graphic almost like they were pulled right from his memory bank.

Spike walked down the row of monitors on the other side of the room becoming more and more disgusted as if each image was a stain. A memory of him first smoking at thirteen. Kicking a punching bag infront of others at sixteen. Flying a jet much alike the Swordfish II at eighteen.

The monitors began to form into the back wall. The wall was completely covered of monitors. When they each viewed their own last monitor they were side by side. Vicious winced as Spike bit his lip. The wall was covered with images of Spike and Vicious together. Standing their both men looked over the videos seperately. Vicious followed the video of them slicing their palms and pushing them together sharing their blood. Spike followed the video of the only time they sparred in class. They said they wouldn't fight each other. The leader sent them to the solitary rooms. Both men rememberd finding a crack that they talked to between the two rooms.

Turing to leave Spike saw a picture hanging above the door. It was a scratch drawing done by a child. Two children to be exact. Vicious had drawn Spike. Spike had drawn Vicious. Exiting the room Spike chuckled remembering everything of his past he pushed beyond the memories of his eye.

They crossed the hall to the next door as the scent of vanilla wafted through the air. The scent hit them harder as they opened the door exposing themselves to a flaw they both knew very well. Walking through the door they noticed the similarities it held to the other room. The walls were a light blue as they were also covered with monitors. Blonde women surrounded the two once comrads.

"So she really is going to stand where wecan't reach her," Vicious quietly said commenting to a version of hell mentioned from earlier. On the opposite wall Spike saw his name written on a paper in her same delicate hand writing as she had. The monitors to follow were all of him and her. Their meeting at the pool hall where Vicious introduced him to her as his girlfriend. Him laying in her bed as she cared for his wounds humming a simple but beautiful tune. Her laying on a rooftop in his arms, dying. The images did not harm him as much as the ones of him as a child. He was used to being haunted by these images. He saw them everyday within his eye. The last monitor was a black screen that held one name. Vicious.

"Vicious?" Spike asked to himself focusing on the name. Vicious did not hear because he was to wrapped up in his memories playing on the screens before him. One monitor of Julia and him dancing. Another of them fighting then having a very exruciatingly long make up. The following was of his heartbreak when he found out the turth. Much alike Spike, his last monitor was black and contained the another name. Spike.

Both men turned to face one another. The handwritten cards had switched walls. Spike followed the monitors of Vicious and Julia as Vicious followed the monitors of Spike and Julia. Growing angry they turned around Chocolate and Silver eyes blazing with hate.

"She was mine," Vicious spat at Spike. "How could you do that? Just steal her."

"She came to me scared. She wanted protection. She wanted me," Spike aruged back. Vicious was about to counterattack when the sweet scent of vanilla left and was left with a putrid but heavenly scent of lust and sex. The men turned to the remaining monitors they were ignoring. All of Julia. All of other men. Following the same monitors the men watched their beloved angel slowly turn to a horrid devil. Most of the videos contained images of Julia in the embraces of others. Spike saw the way she handled these men. He recogonised it as the way she held him. The second video was of her coming to the dragons. Her blonde hair flowing as the leather gripped her body. The realization hit both men at the same time. She was a climber. She climbed her way through the ranks of the Red Dragons. Spike and Vicious being the last of her climb as it sparked a war within the syndicate.

"No more," Vicious said as he turned to leave obviously disgusted and defeated."

"Vicious wait. Look at this," Spike mentioned standing before a table that was covered with papers and photos. All the letters contained the same material. All hand written. The only difference were the names at the top. Spike found his letter and Vicious found his as well. Each paperclipped with a photo of them sleeping in her bed. Taking out his zippo Spike lit his on fire and let it burn to nothing. Vicious did the same as Spike and left it in a pile of the floor to collect. Walking towards the door the words ecteched on the back had no symbolism to them. _Love you_.

"She used us, turned us. Why do I still want to kill you for stealing her?" Vicious asked Spike not actually expecting an answer.

"She held us deep, she knew how to play our emotions to her games. After she was finished with one she would move onto the other." Sighing Spike continued, "Mao never trusted her. I was always telling him that she meant a lot to you and she could be trusted, thats before I trusted her in the wrong ways."

"Whatever next room, It can't get any worse than what we have seen." Vicious said to Spike. Spike shrugged knowing that the other four rooms could very well be empty or very much worse.

Walking to the adjacent door across the hall. It was a deep crismon door. Vicious opened first The walls were all deep red. Bullet holes and burn marks scattered across the walls. There were no monitors in this room. Although a big screen covered the entire back wall. The two men walked towards it both fearing what would be shown. The screen continued to grow black. Minutes passed as the men waited.

"A waste of our time, next room come on," Spike began to say as he turned around. Vicious didn't follow. "Vicious? come on" Turning he saw the monitor finally switched on. A building was on fire. The screen showed Vicious and Spike in their final battle. Vicious looked away.

"It wasn't supposed to happen like this, we weren't supposed to end like this," Vicious said hitting the wall with a force. This switched the monitor again this time the showdown between Spike and him showed before He killed Gren. Spike watched as Lin jumped infront of Vicious and shot him. He knew Lin's death followed soon after. Vicious hit the wall again. The screen showing the church. Spike remembers this. This was when he flew like a bird and then broke like one when he landed. Vicious pushed Spike out the window. He hit the wall again. This time the two men were shooting at each before they both were injured. Vicious thought back to that day it was when Spike left for good. Again the wall was hit but this time by Spike. The screen showed Spike walking into the Cathedrial killing the men as he is shot.

"Damn Julia, I went through nearly dying to be with her for this." Spike said hitting the wall again. The following image was of Vicious killing a man who gave him lip. The look of worry on his face showed it was the first before he turned bad. "It was after you found out wasn't it." Vicious answered by pounding the wall once again. The final image they rested on was them back to back smiling. Shooting random people of a rival syndicate. They were partners. Kicking the wall Spike growled. The monitor exploded into a white screen as Julia's photo appeared in between the videos replaying over and over"

"She caused all this, we are here experiencing a hell because she manipulated us," Vicious spat as he kicked open the door and hurried across the hall to the fourth door. Spike stayed and looked at her photo his heart falling to his stomach and ripping apart. "Adios Beauty," He said kicking the wall as he pointed his fingers in a gun salute, the screen went back to black."

Following Vicious out the door the men stood before the fouth door awaiting whatever painful memories were held inside. "What else is there?" Spike mused outloud not sure what else there can be for the two men. The door was elaborated in silver paint. Spike pushed open the door half expecting more memories of Julia and Vicious but their was simply a black couch in the middle of the room. Both men hesitated before taking comfort into a soft existence. They were both suprised when the couch was hard like wood instead of a soft cushion as it looked. Looking at the black screen the name Vicious was Pulsating on its front. A small remote with one red button was set on the center of the couch. Slowly picking the remote up Vicious hit the button. Dozens of Dozens of images flashed on the screen. Only showing for a milisecond a piece. The screen stopped back to Black.

"What the hell?" Spike asked. This room was meant for Vicious alone but so far it meant nothing. "Try it again," Spike said as Vicious hit the button again. The same thing happened but when Vicious went to hit again he held down the images slowed down and white words were seen with the photos. A photo of Mao appeared. _Those who trusted you and thought only of your future._ The image turned into a video of his death. Spike's eyes widened as Vicious' eyes watered. The following was of Annie. _Those who guided you and treated you as theirs_. Once again the image showed Vicious' men shooting Annie as they look for Julia and Spike. Standing up Vicious left and Spike finally understood. This is what Vicious accomplished in life. Watching the screen as Vicious stood in the hall the last images he dared to stay for were of Shin and Lin together. _Brothers you promised to protect_. Spike had enough as he walked out all of a sudden feeling Vicious' pain as if it was his own.

"I hurt the ones that loved me for someone who did not. I'm a monster." Spike heard Vicious say as he walked out the door. Vicious was slumped to the floor obviously feeling guilty for his sins. Spike pushed out his hand offering it to the man he has not done a kind gesture for in over four years. Vicious looked at the hand then up at Spike accepting the forgiveness that was being thrusted at him. Gripping the hand Spike pulled Vicious to his feet. "Three more doors. Whatever is keeping us here obviously wants us to go into all of them." Vicious stated walking towards the fifth door it's dark green wood entrancing them.

Opening the door the men were wafted with the smell of cigars, ciggerettes, and a small scent of candy. Another room with just a large monitor was rested on the back wall but in the middle of the room was a familliar yellow couch. Instantly Spike knew this was his single room. Vicious read the screen and confirmed his assumption, "Spike." It was written much alike Vicious' room. Flopping down on the couch he found it to be just as he remembered. The same burn marks littered the sofa cushions. Vicious sat besides him picking up the same remote handing it to the fuzzy man.

Holding down the red button Spike was shown photos of his bebop crew. Alike Vicious' monitor Spike's stopped on a single person with writing. The first video was of that damn mutt. _Mans best friend_. The video was when Spike first picked up Ein. He remembered hating the dog. How the dog only aggrivated him. Spike felt himself missing the mangy mutts whimpers and barks that alerted the rest of the crew. The video switched to an image of the Ed. _A child genius that looked up to you_. Remember the aggrivations this girl gave him only made him think of her innocense. Spike was realizing he never truely thought about how Ed felt about anything except when her father came to get her. The video switched again to Jet which caused Spike to chuckle as it was of him with his trees. _A friend that was more of a father_. This didn't make Spike think about what he did wrong. All he felt was guilt for leaving him behind to deal on his own with everthing. Jet didn't deserve the suprises and tasks Spike gave him but he took them gracefully. The screen changed again this time to Faye. Unlike all the other images this one heartjerking. Faye was leaning against the wall fists balled up clinching her gun as she silently cried. Spikes eyes grew round as he read the screen. _A rogue beauty that fell for a broken man_. Vicious watched Spike's reaction of the last photo. It seemed to be more of a shock than a sadness as before. The images showed began to show different videos of the crew members. Spike wrestling with Ed, walking Ein, fixing the jets with Jet, saving Faye from Vicious, and so on.

Unlike Vicious Spike just stared at the screen he missed his crew mates. "I left them behind when they needed me," Spike said not waiting for an answer before he started up gripping the couches arm rest. "I was a selfish bastard. She needed me more than any of them." He gripped into the couch harder.

"Lets go this room isn't going to do anything but make you hurt, thats all they are doing," Vicious said seeing his friend have pang of guilts. The walked out the door the video shutting off and the smell of wildflowers dying within the smell of the ciggerettes. Cross the hall they came to another door. Opening the door both men shuttered as they walked inside. Blood stained the floor. The windows were barred as chains hung from the wall. Unlike the others this room contained no monitors. It didn't need to. On the wall where two pair of hanging handcuff chains was an _S_ and _V_ carved in the middle. "We we're victims and the torture's" Vicious said as he shut his eyes remembering the times Spike and him were locked in here and when they tortured men for information or younger dragon members to stay in line. Before he could turn around he noticed Spike had already exited the room. Spike never talked about what had gone on inside the syndacate walls especialy Red Chains walls. It always terrified him. Vicious turned around and walked towards the carving of their initials. This was done when they were sixteen. They had been caught trying to escape after signing the oath and they spent a month hanging from this wall. Vicious thought they were going to die but Spike kept telling him they were too important for them to kill off. He promised he would make sure it never happened. Walking out out of the room Vicious met Spike at the final door.

Both entered the room. It was painted white. It was barin on the inside. Except for a monitor on the back wall. It was a white screen with one black word. _Decide_. Finally two boys evaporated into the room. They were the child versions of Spike and Vicious. Child Vicious turned to himself as Spike turned to himself.

"Read" both boys said at the same time. Spike and Vicious glanced at each other before facing the monitor as black words were thrown across the screen. _One will leave other with stay. _

"One will leave?" Vicious asked his looked onto his innosence.

"You have the choice for one of you to live," both boys said at the same time while looking at their futures. The boys turned to Vicious "If you should choose to live, it shall only be for no more than a month, you will be alone besides the partnership that Julia will give you for one whole month. If you should choose to stay, You will live with all that have been slaughtered by your hand, a second chance as you stay in this deserted land." The boys turned to Spike "If you choose to live you will live your entire life without Julia by yourside. If you choose to stay you will be alone for eternity here."

The men looked upon each other confused but knowing what must be done. "You continue to say you must choose, why choose?" Spike asked the younger boys.

"You have been brought here to Red Chain Mansion to understand your pasts, presents, and futures. Now that you understand what went wrong in the process of your lives you can fix it. Their is a correct choice but only if you truely understand will you make it." The boys said in usion.

"A month with Julia," Vicious began as Spike finished "And a solitude alone."

"Or a full life and a second chance," the boys finished for the men.

A two doors appeared behind the two boys. They turned around both boys standing beside a door. "This door will lead to the outdoors to who stays," they said at the same time as Spike opened the door showing a black light. The following door is pushed open to show a white light. "This door will lead to another life for the one who leaves."

The men walked towards the doors Both standing between the two boys. "Who will we choose to go?" Spike began looking at the doors.

"Theres no choosing" Vicious said as he pushed the other through the door glowing white. The door slammed shut behind Spike. The two boys walked forward. "You have chosen the right path. You have learned." They exlaimed at the same time.

"What would have happened if I chose wrongly?" Vicious asked the two boys.

"You would have lived for a month with Julia. But you would have been in a comatose state, your brain matter is gone on the outside. Julia would have not been there you would have only seen others that resembeled her. You have given Spike his second chance, now go take yours." The boys said in usion as they pushed the older man through the opposite door the door slamming shut.

A dimlight of yellow is shown as Vicious walks out into the barin desert. "Why Vicious? Welcome Home" is said by a familliar leader.

_Take That Chance Cowboy._

**Ok sorry this update has taken so long. I've been busy relaxing and enjoying my summer. Plus never being by a computer kind of ruins it all. I know this was probably so off character that some of you were ripping your hair out thinking "what the hell is she doing making them like each other again." It was a resolution I felt needed to happen. I got my inspiration for the setting from an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer where Buffy and Faith were both in a comatose state and were sharing a similar dream and although that had just been fighting before put there in this dream they seemed to be friends and forgiving towards each other. The title song is called **_**Heaven Forbid**_** and it's by The Fray. Anyways I'm already working on another chapter so maybe soon a new one. And remember review please, it will honestly help me continue knowing that this Fic might have fans.**

**-RP**


	4. Scar Tissue

The past six months were slow. No bounties were needed until now. The thirty million Faye had gotten on the last bounty lasted for about four months and now the past two months they were using an eighteen thousand bounty.They were swiftly funning out of money. Her depression had left but it was only due to the truth coming out. After Ed came back Jet took the liberty to tell the women what he had found out by simply watching the news. Spike wasn't coming back. Spike was dead. He didn't want to tell them. In fact it took him a week to gather the courage to tell them. They never finished their converstation before Ed walked in. Faye had Ed searching for Spike night and day. After watching Ed break down from not being able to succeed he finally called it as enough and broke the news.

Faye took it hard for the first two months, but after allowing herself to realize he was not going to come back she changed. Everything about her changed. Her physical appearance to her emotional and mental stages. She no longer had random spits of immaturity. She also took treating Ed better. She began to try and treat her as a younger sister. Jet believed it was because she couldn't bare to lose anymore of the only family she knew.

She even bothered to get a second job at a bar to help pay off her debts. She was still deep in the hole of the debts that man Whitney gave her and not to mention her own. She was working at _The Golden Halo_. It was a ritzi bar on Saturn. Some part of a resort on one of the rings. The good thing about it was that it allowed freedocking for the Bebop. Saturn had become some sort of a permenant home for them.

The new job changed her appearance too. Considering she had to wear nicer clothes while working at the bar Faye had grown accustomn to wearing black pants. She had a mixture of colored shirts that she wore to work. Each day had a different color that she had to wear. It reminded Jet of day of the week underwear. This of course changed her recreation clothes slightly. She now stuck to black pants or a black skirt with a mixture of colored halter tops. Her job attire changed during season, but just because she became more conservative didn't mean she needed to lose her entire being. This did mean the banana yellow suit was now gone. Jet watched her use the old outfit as rags to clean her ship. He was impressed. Her hair had grown out longer past her shoulders and she no longer wore a head band and she didn't wear her make up so heavily. She had actually recieved a healthy glow to her skin because of the tropical sun.

Ed adapted well to her new surroundings. The plush beaches were something new for her to experience. Not to mention the enormous line of new technology. Ed didn't show how bad she was hurt by Spikes death but she was. Her hair grew longer as well. Jet threw a party for her for her birthday this past year. Of course Faye, Ein, and him were the only ones there but thats all she cared for. She was growing older. She walked around like a normal teenager now. Jet noticed that she was beginning to slowly talk in first person. It was rarely but when she did talk it looked like she was trying to speak normally but would give up. She also wore pants now. Faye told him it was because although she seems immature and not really a girl she was becoming a woman. This of course led into an hour long conversation Jet didn't want to have about a woman's bodily functions.

"EDWARD HUNGRY!" Ed yelled closely to Jet's ear ripping him from his present thoughts of the two women.

"Did you check the Kitchen Ed?" Jet said slowly rubbing his ear back to life knowing that there was more than likely no food left there.

"Yes Ed checked the fridge and nothing there Jet-Person." Ed said her lips hanging down in a droop as her stomach growled.

"Alight search me up a bounty. Preferably someplace close." Jet said as the hatch closed. Faye sauntered in wearing a black skirt and a neon blue halter top. "Hey are you up for a bounty?" Excitement flashed across Fayes now dull green eyes. "I'll take that as a yes. We're pretty much out of food. Ed's searching around for a chase right now but in the mean time do you think we can dip into your debt money to buy some food to last till you get back.

Faye laughed at his good judgement. "Whatever you find I'll be ready just tell me when and where." She began digging through her bag for her seperate money card. Jet offered her his card and she placed it to his. "Thats about ten thousand woolongs. I know it is more than enough but I'll just take it out of our next bounty. I'm going to go take a bath."

Jet watched her walked off happy that she is in a good mood. He almost feared that she would become instantly depressed about another bounty. She didn't like dealing with bounties anymore because they reminded her of Spike but He guessed that it just simply meant she was fully ready to move on. The fact that she gracefully gave up a large sum of money to others besides herself didn't nearly shock Jet as much as he would have figured. She had changed. Bebop was her home and she obviously was going to do anything to keep from losing it. "Edward! Faye's in the shower I'm going to grab some supplies. Keep searching for a bounty." Walking towards the hanger stairs he walked back in remembering her moods were swiftly changing and the terrifying convo Faye and he had about women. "And stay out of trouble!" he yelled back in forgeting that he denied years ago he would never say anything a father would.

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The bathwater poured into the tub slowly as Faye sat on the sink waiting for it to fill. She untucked her hair from the ponytail letting it drop below her shoulders. After brushing the tangles in her hair she pulled out the mixture of green and deep violet hairs. Standing up she poured the bubble mix into the tub letting the bubbles surround the edge of the tub. Steam began pouring around her as she untied her halter top hanging it off the hook. Undoing her mini skirt she let that fall to the ground. She hung her undergarments from the same hook as she slowly sat herself in the steaming hot tub. The hot water instantly turned her skin red as her body temperature rised to meet the waters expectations.

After she placed her full body in the tub, Faye laid back and stared at her reflection that surrounded her in the metal tub. Closing her eyes she let the days events surrender themselves to her. She got hit on a couple times today. A day usually included that though. She was the only female bartender at _The Golden Halo_. Today was different. A man came to her rescue when she didn't necesarily need it. Most the men that hit on her were slime balls and generally were only stopping at the resort for a drink never staying there. Every so often she even got a man offering to pay her a large tip for extra services. Never lowering herself to accept the men were usually thrown out by her fellow bartenders.

No, today was most definitly different. Today she was on break smoking her ciggerette watching the couples dance past the tables. A man about forty sat besides her setting his hand upon her thigh asking why she was the only beautiful female around. She didn't want to get fired but she couldn't let this man touch her like that. As she reached to grab his hand off of her and stand up he only pushed down harder. Finally as she was about to say screw it and deck the guy another man came behind her. The memory replayed itself over and over in her head as she smiled to herself.

_"..And come join us on Saturn's fifth ring for the waves of the year. Most will be enjoying the surf for what it has to offer.." Faye was listening to a local travel channel on her break. Sitting at the bar with her left leg crossed over the other she was smoking her break ciggerette. Turning her attention she watched the couples having drinks. They were all beautiful. Cocktail dresses that cost more than what Faye earns in two weeks, which included tips. They were all bronzed and obviously wealthy. Faye didn't envy the couples, she was almost disgusted infact. The gaze went further to the couples in the background as they enjoy a subtle dance to a nameless love song to her. They looked happy. They looked loved._

_"Now why are you so beautiful and why are you the only broad to be willing enough to work with these bunch of meatheads?" the guy that had now find the warmest place to put his hand on her thigh said while ripping her from her trance._

_"These men allow me to work with them because they know I can handle my own," Faye replied while she gently tried to take his hand off of her. She slightly began to get flustered when he grabbed her harder. She knew she was going to be losing her job soon. Anger started bubbling over into her eyes. She deffinitly could not grasph her gun at him so she settled for a simple use of her hand. As she looked up and began to draw her hand back she felt another grasp it. _

_"Sorry I'm late baby," the man said kissing her cheek before starting again. "I had to stop back off at the office to make sure the account didn't get loose. You know how that goes," he said chuckling. This made Faye softly breath. Rough but soft voice acknowledged she needed help. _

_"Yeah I do, sorry sweetheart this man was just telling me about how he found it fascinating for me to be the only female working here." She counter replied hoping she didn't sound uneasy and the maggot took the hint that she was possibly not single. The hand was removed from her thigh._

_"Excuse me," the man said in a harsh tone pushing by Faye and the man with an extra force. Laughing Faye turned around to face the man. She smiled and opened her eyes looking upon him for the first time. She was taken aback by his intense features. His features showed for him to be some age under thirty. About the same age as Spike actually. The man was smiling as his black straight hair flopped infront of his eyes. It wasn't long but at a shaggy length. The black tint tended to capture a blue tint when the light fragmented off of it. His eyes which happened to be a hazel or goldenrod were beautiful. They were almost a golden yellow. He smiled and his dimples grew large. Faye melted for the second time in two years._

_"Thank you...I'm sorry what was your name again?" Faye said slightly embarresed._

_"Faye Valentine, I know." Hunter cut her off. "It's a pleasure to meet you." Fayes eyes narrowed a bit before putting a false smile on her face. She slowly placed her hand by her thigh while she watched the mans features._

_"Likewise I'm sure, but would you mind telling me how you know me?" Faye asked almost ready to run. She was thinking how she could be so stupid. He must be after the bounty on my head._

_"Well Miss Valentine I've been studying for some time now actually. It's quite a funny story.." Hunter began to explain but stopped short when he felt a pressure to his gut._

_  
"Which man sent you. I can pay you the bounty sum myself." Faye said her smile now gone as she gripped her glock into his stomach hiding it from her work mates and the customers. Stubbing her ciggerette out she waited on his final answer. He smiled and dropped his eyes. She took notice he looked too much like another with his eyes shut. When he had his eyes open they were two completely different men. No one can compare with the others eyes. She put more pressure into her gun waiting for the answer._

_"No one sent me. I'm not after your bounty. Although I find it quite amusing for a cowgirl to have her own bounty on her pretty head." pausing to laugh which made Faye pull off her gun a tad bit. "I'm a detective." Hunter finally finished._

_"Badge please?" Faye asked to see. Hunter pulled a wallet structure out of his right breast pocket and flipped it open. The shiny silver reflected her green eyes. Pulling her gun completly off sliding it back in it's holster under her skirt trying to fight the blush that creeped her slightly tanned skin she looked for words to say. She shouldn't be carrying her gun at work but Faye always felt naked without it. It was her gaurdian. "I'm sorry Detective Tinsley. I generally assume when people say they are watching me that they are after the bounty, but why have you been watching me?"_

_"It's fine I understand, and please none of that Detective bullshit. Just call me Hunter." He said finally shaking her hand. She slipped her hand into his shaking it gently. No ring was the first thought that stretched her mind. She quickly removed the thought from her mind. No ring means nothing. She knew this all too well. Hunter looked back up and into her eyes. "A couple of months ago you caught yourself a bounty, a small fry.."_

_  
"Joseph Peters." She said giving a nod. "It was an easy eighteen million." _

_Chuckling he started again. "Yes Joseph Peters. Anyways you caught yourself a bounty that I had been following for quite some time. See he was just a small fry, but he was actually a part of something much more. " Hunter stopped to take a big gulp of his iced water. Faye thought about Peters. He was a wiry man. Younger than her. He was actully intelligent, but not smart enough. He was part of some rebellion. She honestly didn't look into what the rebellion was against. The only thing she checked into was his name, appearance, and location._

_Hunter swished a piece of ice around in his mouth checking his watch. "Shit I'm sorry Miss Valentine but I'm actually due back to my office for a case appointment in about an hour and its a good long flight back." He began to look flustered. "Would you mind if I stopped back by in a couple days and we can finish this converstation." Hunter asked Faye._

_"Oh I'm sorry your right it is getting late my break is about over. Actually I am taking a vacation leave till Sunday. I won't be back at the bar until Monday night." Faye said a trying to hid the weird sadness in her voice. Although she did take the leave for herself, she knew it was about time for another bounty. That is why the vacation period was so lengthy. _

_"Well thats no good. Well I don't mean to be blunt but if you are actually staying in town maybe you would be willing to meet me here one night the remainder of the week. I wouldn't rush it but I really must finish talking to you about this." Hunter replied now he growing a blush along his cheeks._

_  
"Yes that would be fine. Does Friday night sound ok with you. I'm sure my room mate will be having me off on some wild goose hunt." Faye said smiling._

_"Thats fine, and I'm sure old Black Dog will have you on a bounty. Give Jet my hellos." Hunter stated standing up placing some money down on the bar._

_"How did you.." Faye started a bit confused._

_"I've been watching you remember. Till Friday Miss Valentine." Hunter said to her as he turned to leave which in the end left Faye to stand by the bar collecting her thoughts until her break was over._

Sweetly Sighing Faye floated underwater letting the water engulf her head.

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Ed hung upside down off the beat up yellow couch. Her goggles stat neatly over her eyes as she pulsated herself through the internet. Rolling off the couch, Ed landed with her legs indian style infront of the computer.

"ISSP system cracked." Her laptop beeped at her. Rolling her body backwards and forwards she watched as names floated by her eyes. The red head typed furiously as the old solar system pattern appeared on the screen.

"Saturn!" Ed yelled as the list of bounties residing on Saturn scrolled past her eyes. The planet Saturn shown in the background. Four lights blinked on the screen. A purple light, an orange light, a yellow light, and a white light. She ignored the lights knowing their meaning and focused on the bounties. None broke the Million woolong range. " BOOOO" she yelled obviously upset with her search. Ed clicked to widen search. _Award range? _Ed typed in _One Million ­+_ into the allowed space. _Bounty Range?_ Again Ed typed in an answer. Soon after she finished typing a planet would show in the background of her computer bringing up lists of names. Earth was placed first and immedietly Ed found an eleven million bounty that should be easy enough for Faye.

Printing the info Ed walked off as the computer moved onto other planets. The planet Mars shown in the background as it went through various bounty names. "Ed found a bountyyyy," Ed sang as she walked around the kitchen posting her printed info onto the fridge. Mars continued showing it's bounties as Ein stared at the screen. A green light blinked continuously. Ein cocked his head watching the green light. Excitedly Ein got on all four paws and began to bark at the screen.

"Ein? Whats all the woof woof for?" Ed said as she walked back into the room sitting in front of the computer. Ein placed both paws on her front then barked at the screen. Looking at the screen Ed turned to Ein "Theres no good bounties on Venus you doggie woggie." Ein whimpered and looked at the screen. It had already changed planets.

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The Red Dragon hospital had calmed down. All the wounded men were gone. The only two men from that day left in the building were Spike and Vicious. No nurses fret around nervously carrying trays. No men huffed in pain. It was quiet.

Spike and Vicious laid occupied in the same room. The room was large and obviously was intended for permanent patients. Their wounds were heeled. Vicious' long hair was short. A long scar poked from his temple into the short silver locks. The beeps of the heart monitors were almost in usion when the nurse walked in. Looking over Spike's charts the nurse hit different buttons on the heart monitor. After she had fully checked him over she switched out his IV bags.

Crossing the room the woman began to do the same things for Vicious as she had done for Spike. She didn't care after Vicious as gentally as she did as Spike. She fretted around his bed side almost as if she was in fear of the comatose man. As she walked out of the room she slowly hears a pindrop in a silent room.

"Where am I?" the quiet rough voice called out to the nurse walking away. As she abrubtly turned to the mans bedside another pin dropped as one heart monitor suddenly stopped a blarent long solid tone admitting to a heart failure. The nurse began to panic and ran out the door screaming for all the doctors to come quick.

"Where am I?" the voice repeated. "What's going on? Nurse?" The man lifted his sulken eyes up and stared into the man across the room watching as the monitor gave off a loud tone. The screen giving a straight line. "Nurse!" The man yelled again this time his voice growing stronger. Three doctors ran in as four nurses including the first followed.

"I want two of you nurses on that man now, other two come with Dr. Sans, Dr. Brooks, and I to take care of this man. Hurry get the electr-shocks Nurse Raymond." The first Dr. Brooks held the clamps as Dr. Sans counted off to the others.

"1..2..3..CLEAR" Dr. Sans screamed out as Dr. Brooks pushed down on the mans chest. Watching this the other gripped the nurses hand as she held him down in bed. He wanted out he wanted to help his comrad. "1..2..3..CLEAR" Dr. Sans yelled again. The man blurred all the sounds together. He watched the scene as they tried saving the other man.

"Nothings happening! Nurse I want you to pump up the electricity now!." The third doctor yelled. The nurse slowly turned the dial. "I said now!" the doctor yelled again as he went and grabbed her hand turning the power up.

"1..2..3..CLEAR" Dr. Sans yelled once again. Dr. Brooks pushed down again as the nurses flustered around the three doctors trying to fix everything.

"God dammit!" the third doctor yelled as he threw his clipboard at the tray. "Call the time," he said in a stern voice to a nearby Nurse.

"14:39" The nurse replied as she wrote it down on the tablet. The two other doctors placed the machine to the side and covered the now dead mans face with the white sheet that covered his lower torso.

"Sans go call Jacobs." the doctor said looking for a way to explain. "Give him the good news bad news spiel. Just keep it lighter on the good news." The doctor turned to the other two nurses who helped Dr. Brooks move the man onto strecher. "Help Dr. Brooks move him down to the morgue and when Mr. Jacobs gets here come and get me immedietly." Nodding the nurses wheeled the man out of the room. The doctor looked across the room at the man shaking in his bed. Crossing the room he looked at the two nurses. "Go ahead to the front office I'll take care of this." The nurses walked out of the hospital room. Both walked a little taller like a dead weight had been lifted from their shoulders.

The doctor sighed slumping in a chair besides the mans bed. The man bit his lip as a pain ruptured through him. "Where am I?" The man asks for a third time now with anger rising in his voice. Rubbing the back of his head the doctor finally turned to face him. He was defeated it was written all over his face.

"Your at Red Heart Hospital. I'm Dr. Samson." He said whiping his brow free of the sweat from the previous work out. The man looked at the doctor the pain now etching through his facial features. Dr. Samson grabbed a syringe and filled it with a yellow substance. "Here give me your arm," he said holding the syringe between his fingers. The man held back wary of what he should do. Sighing the doctor pulled the syringe back and began to speak, "It's to help with the pain." With hearing the words _help with pain_, the man gave the doctor his arm immedietly. Sticking the syringe in the arm the doctor took hint to the mans instant relief. "You've been sleeping for quite some time. Do you remember anything before waking up?"

The man looked at the doctor then back at the empty bed across the room. "Yes doctor. I remember everything." The man said now staring back at the doctor. "Why did you quit trying to revive him. You only went at it for what seemed ten minutes." He almost asked angry but at the same time relieved.

Bewildered the doctor looked at him. "Mr. Spiegal, we tried recesatating him for forty minutes. We shocked him beyond what we should have to revive him. Even if we did revive him he would not have woken up. If had woken up he would have been braindead to the world. A vegetable." The doctor watched the confusion on Spikes face a single question rising to his own. "I don't understand why you would care if we revived him or not though. You two are the reason you were placed in these beds."

Spike shuttered at the comment. "Let's just say I ended a dream and it cleared up a lot of questions. Is there any possible way I can get a ciggerette?" His chocolate eyes bore into the doctors face.

"I'm afraid not. Although your outer body is healed and the loose stichings have all cleared up, you also have just started breathing at a faster rate. Not to mention your heart rate has now risen. This is because you have just woken up from such a long sleep." Pausing the doctor squinted at the man, "Which is weird that you two both took affect to the world at the same time. Anyways we have to monitor these changes for at least a couple nights. Giving you a ciggerette would only put your body at ease and it would counter our calculations and notes." The doctor said giving a small smile towards him. Spike nodded in agreement. He hated hospitals, but he had been in enough to know to respect a doctors wishes. "Do you have any questions by chance?" the doctor asked Spike knowing that he would.

Spike thought about the doctors question. Yeah he had questions. A couple important ones actually. "How long have I been here?" Spike asked the doctor.

"Six months. I suppose thats why you are confused to how you healed so quickly." The doctor said with a small chuckle. Spike thought about the dreamland Vicious and him had located. It felt like they were only inside that world for six hours. Remembering the landscape he thoght of the clouds that had moved at a quick rate.

"Does anyone know where I am?" Spike asked thinking back to his crew. He almost wondered why they weren't here. The hospital was named Red Heart Hospital. This almost pushed him to insanity. He was in the syndicate hospital. Of course they didn't know that he was here. The doctor watched Spikes changing emotions.

"The only people that know you are living are the new elders of the syndicate. Our news station helped cover up the massacre by stating Vicious and yourself were dead. " The doctor explained to him. Spike mulled this over in his head. His crew didn't know he was alive. Where was he to go from here. How would he get home.

"Look, I know I'm now a certified dead man, but what am I supposed to do now?" Spike asked the doctor besides him. Still awaiting an answer Spike began to yell. "My life has been technically erased. People are...were worried about me, I must be able to see them." The doctor stared at him taken a back by his suddenness. Opening his mouth to speak Dr. Sans walked into the room.

"Mr. Jacobs and his associates will be here in twenty minutes." Dr. Sans said giving a nod to both men before walking out.

Sighing Dr. Samson turned back to Spike. "We're going to have to finish this later. Besides I'm sure the elders are going to want to have a few words with you." Getting up Dr. Samson turned to leave. "Get some rest, I'll try and get some answers before they come to see you."

Spike turned to watch him leave but when his eyes searched for the man at the door he noticed he was already gone. Throwing his head back and muttering a few curses, Spike finally shut his eyes seeing nothing from his past. Opening his eye again he looked around. Finally noticing a new pain in his eye he shut it again. The past was gone and all he saw was reality. The only thing that came to his mind before sleep took over his body was from his dreamland and it was why Vicious pushed him through the white light.

_Good Morning Cowboy_

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**Hey! wow I know another update and so fast right. Best thing about having a desk job answering phones and doing data entry is that you have so much free time to daydream and write. This chapter was sloppy and I know once again the characters are probably off character your all screaming "Your butchering it just stop typing you weak little thing of a CB fan." Well I can't help it, but I can stop writing. As of now I'm able to write more to the story Ideas are popping out but as of now I don't think I will put another entry until I get at least two reviews. This is my fourth entry and Im still waiting for feedback. I need to know if you guys like my direction before I continue. I might continue without it but as of now I need two reviews before I do. AND PLEASE critic as much as possible be harsh if you have to I do not care. Song was Scar Tissue by Red Hot Chili Peppers**

**-RP**


	5. Inconsolable

The tide was slowly shifting the Bebop back and forth. Standing on the dock with his arms full of groceries, Jet watched his giant fishing boat. He felt uneasy, sick almost. He had an encounter with a young boy that made him dig up old memories that he left alone for six months. Walking onto his ship deck he shifted the groceries to better see. Dropping off the hanger stairs he walked towards the kitchen.

Easing the grocery bags to the counter he searched for his female comrads. "Ed! Faye?" Scratching his head he turned back to his groceries grabbing hands full of the instant ramen noodles that Faye hated so much. Opening the cabinet he was met with the red headed teenager as she jumped out of the cabinet to grip his neck. The instant ramen scattered to the floor.

"I..I..found a b.b.b.ounty Jet.t.t." Ed exclaimed. Her stuttering was due to her trying to talk in first person. Smiling Jet patted her on the back and let her down.

"That's great Ed. Where's Faye?" He asked as he began to gather the fallen packets. Standing upright he noticed that Ed had placed herself on top of the fridge.

"Faye-Faye is sleeping. Faye-Faye said she needed beauty rest." Ed said as she slid down the fridge grabbing the peppers and placing them inside. Jet cocked an eyebrow at the young girl then huffed air.

"Alright, Ed go ahead and go off. I'll get some dinner made and then you can show me the bounty info after dinner." Jet said as he pushed more packaged foods into the cabinets leaving certain items behind to create a dish.

"Aye Aye Captain." Ed said as she began to salute as she walked back towards the sitting room.

Jet watched the girl stalk away. Sighing he began to put the rest of the food away. Setting the bell peppers on the counter he went to work.

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"Who is this guy? He's pretty grotesque." Faye spoke first towards her shipmates. The photo she held was of a man appeared to be in his fifties, large and rounded. His image only shouted bad hygiene.

"'Embryian Lancaster, he was a small shot. Stress the was," Jet threw in rubbing his head. This guy was bad news. He was almost unsure of letting Faye deal with it. This was definitely a teamwork job and well in the past six months Faye was going solo on the bounties. It had been six months. Spike was dead. Jet's leg hadn't fully healed, he blamed to weather. Faye blamed his age. That was that, Faye was going to have to rely on both personalities for teamwork. The Faye of the past and the new Faye of the future. Together they created one hell of a cowgirl, but separated they were two completely different beings, both broken. She would never survive separated.

"Was?" Faye asked Jet pulling him out of his thoughts. She wasn't excited about the new bounty. The idea of risking her life to earn money didn't have as much of appeal as it used to. Now that the money she earned was swiftly being used to pay off debts. Those debts that also risked her life.

Getting up Jet went to grab Lancaster's fact sheet out of the eatery. "Ed! Hey Ed!" Jet called towards the hanger. The girl walked in rubbing sleep out f her eyes. Jet chuckled at her disgruntled appearance. She looked at him awaiting his question that she knew was coming. Finally Jet opened his mouth, "Can you pull the info on this Lancaster guy? All of it, Not just the stuff that you printed off."

A smile lit up the girls face as she jumped over the couch to her tomato, landing besides a slowly becoming impatient Faye. She still had yet to talk. That was becoming a normal behavior trait of Edwards. Her brain was overloading with grownup thoughts.

"Faye, this guy was a small fry, but he's much larger now," Jet started up again turning back towards Faye. She hadn't fazed the information yet, she still didn't understand. This was going to be hard to explain for Jet. This guy hit home for Faye. Faye cleared her throat interrupting his thoughts again. She knew he hated the noise. Rubbing his head again he turned to confront her. A decision finally made. "Look Faye, I don't want you going after this guy." He finalized as she began to argue back. "Holding up his metal hand he stopped her pestering. "It's not that you can't handle this guy, because I know you can. Faye this guy will deteriate you. He will destroy your mental state, rip you apart into two different people." Confusion set in on Fayes face. Sighing Jet went deeper, "Faye the team can't have you split personalities again. You can't split personalities again. It's not healthy. When you behaved the way you did after Spike left you.." He was cut off by small growl. "Anyways this guy, his family history is long, almost as long as yours. He's connected to.."

"Jet-Person, Ed has the info!" Ed yelled as Faye moved into the screen. "Ow Faye-Faye, watch your elbows. Am I done Jet-Person?" Ed asked yawning a stretch out.

Jet was too focused on Faye as she clicked through the articles. Waving his hand toward the girl he sat on the couch besides Faye. "Burglary, six murders, two sexual assaults, grand theft auto.. Jet this guy doesn't seem so bad for forty million." She said as she clicked through more articles. "..proven dangerous, quick minded, works slow in killing, never uses guns.." Her eyes flipped through as she turned around to give Jet a come on grin. She knew she could handle this guy. His background wasn't even half as bad as the last guy she took down. Jet gave her a nod informing her to keep reading. Her smile stopped. "Ok so he's an easy chase. Smart yes, but he's also slow. Plus he's pretty easy to spot. Jet this guy is a cake walk..."

"Damn it Faye, read his biography not his background!" Jet yelled at her. He quickly recovered. He hated raising his voice at the girls, but Faye was always so hard headed. She shuttered when he yelled and began to turn to continue reading. A steady hand on her shoulder stopped her mid turn. "I'm sorry Faye, Please continue," Jet apologized.

Smiling she turned. Flipping through the pages she finally found Lancaster's bio. "Born on Earth, well that gives it. The mans a whack job for sure," she kidded smiling at herself for the freedom she now spoke with. "Forty-nine years old. Never Married. No Kids. Moved to Mars in 2055. What am I looking here for Jet, there's nothing her. Just info on who he is as a human being." Faye turned to her side to watch Jet stand and slowly pace. Shaking her head she read on. "Graduated from Yale at nineteen with a 5.0. He followed in his fathers footsteps at NASA for seven years before being on the second civilian crew to go to space." Faye stopped as images of her own flight had scattered within her mind. Shaking her head she began again. "The first flight had crashed shortly after breaking atmosphere. There were no survivors." Biting her lip hard she looked towards Jet. She let out a loud fake laugh. "No survivors." Jet nodded again. She let out a frustrated sigh and turned back towards the computer.

"After Lancaster took his trip to space his world crumpled down. His father was arrested for being known as the cause to the Gate disaster when the first plane crashed. He had been the soul designer of the aircraft and after much investigation it was known that the flight would crash on purpose. Joseph Lancaster was considered a terrorist after a falling out with his NASA advisors. The man wanted to prove a point to his fellow country men. Life falls in the hands of others and not your own." Faye shrunk back into the couch. "So that's it Jet, I went three years without a memory on purpose. I'm not a survivor!?" She stood getting angry. Jet looked upon her feeling her sadness." You're right, I can't handle this one. I'm going out for a drink I'll be back later." Faye grabbed her bomber jacket before stalking out to the bay.

Jet looked at Lancasters photo. Ripping up the info he tossed it in the bin. After gathering up the dishes from that nights dinner he went to water his bonsais. The ones he had been ignoring for weeks. They were practically wasted away. "Time to start a new project," Jet declared as he dumped the first plant in the trash.

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The Golden Halo sign blazed a gold light. The humid air felt heavy as Faye passed under the sign into the crowded bar. Strutting past tables filled of men in business suits, ladies in fine dresses, couples drinking wine, she walked towards the black and gold bar. Her usually break stool was open giving her access to the bar right away. Some nonsense about a celebrity going to court was playing on the TV. Bad piano music played behind her near the dance floor. She looked at the bartender raising her hand in the air giving a loose smile.

The man set Faye's usual whisky in front of her. "Faye, you don't work till Monday. Not that I'm not happy to see you of course, but why are you here?" The bartender asked. Faye studied his features. Kane was always handsome. Smart too. But in her days BCF, BCF being Before Cryogenically Frozen, he was considered an all American boy. Captain of the football team, bring home to mother, prom king to your prom queen. Everything she loved in a male then, but hated today.

"Just need a drink. I can drink for free here, nothing beats that," she replied leaving out the details. Faye separated her coworkers from her life. They did not need to know why she was considered cold.

Kane looked at her and smiled. "You seem like you have been having a rough evening," quickly he pulled a rag and began to wipe down the bar, "want to talk about it?"

Faye laughed at his bar humor. "Oh no you don't. Do not play bar therapist to me." She retaliated. "Go take care of the other customers, I'll step around if I need anything." Smiling at Kane she sent him off. Smiling was something she was doing a lot more these days, despite the fact of six months ago and today. Kane nodded and walked to a young boisterous couple showing off a rock the size of Texas on the females halves finger. Her long flowing blonde hair brought a light to her face. She laughed out loud throwing her head back.

_The apartment living room glowed gold. Fay__e looked onto another man she let herself fall for. He was telling a story of Vicious. How they met. How they belonged. "He said the song name was Julia."_

The woman began telling a story in a loud voice. She was nothing like the woman she once met. She was over acting for the crowd around her. Well nothing like she thought at least. She didn't know her personally

_Looking out past the drifting horizon. She avoided eye contact with Jet. Her body felt heavy. The COM link lit up.  
_

_"I want my money back," Jet stated calmly. Faye hadn't told him about why she left. He only knew he wanted that money._

_Sighing Faye faced towards the camera. "The safe only had twenty thousand in it." Her eyes trailed back over into the window._

_Surprised Jet watched Faye through the link, "Is that so?"_

_Faye didn't look back. In a soft delicate voice Faye called to him. "Dummy." Pausing she thought. "Hey... Who is Julia?" The name was brought up a lot the past twenty-four hours._

_"Dunno...but she has something to do with Spike. That's all I know." Jet replied._

The woman finally looked over towards Faye. Her brown eyes were dull. No real life was in them. She smiled and nodded her head towards her.

_A red convertible comes flying by Faye. Pulling her gun out she shoots out a tire of the car that is following the convertible. The woman driving gives Faye a lift. Pushing herself to the backseat, Faye leans towards the back aiming her gun. After shooting off a hubcap and making the car flip over she moves back to the front. _

"You saved me." The blonde woman states. She had a familiarity about her. Something reminded her of Gren. 

_"Same here." Faye followed back. Watching the blonde._

_"You're a good shot." The blonde looked away smirking._

_  
"I was getting bounties with it." Faye countered back. The woman looked up back at those words._

_"A bounty hunter?" The woman said drowning off the last part. Faye watched the woman's blue eyes. They seemed to be searching._

_"Although now I'm kind of on a break 'cause there's something going on. You look like you have something going on, too. It might be good to pair up with another woman. How about it? Wanna be my partner?" Faye said. It seemed like a good idea. She could use the help and as she told the woman she knew she needed it too._

_"I have.. something to do." The woman retorted her voice wavering to match her eyes._

_"Oh. Too bad." Faye stated not overly disappointed. She did things solo. It was best kept that way._

_"Do you know any bounty hunter hangouts?" The woman casually asked although her eyes seemed to look for more._

_"I can help if you want to put a bounty on someone." Faye told the woman trying to help._

_"I'm looking for a bounty hunter. I'll drive you back." The woman ended the conversation as she pulled back onto the road._

_A pause settled over the two as the road sped beneath them. Faye watched the passing lines deep in thought. "What's your name?" The blonde woman asked pulling Faye from her thoughts._

_"Faye..." began._

_"Faye..?!" the woman said suddenly as her head snapped up._

_Fayez eyebrows clinched together. "Faye Valentine. A common name. What's yours?" She asked taking the subject off of herself. That's all she had to say. Her memories were just now starting to come back. She still didn't know herself though._

_"Julia." The woman said without falter. The name triggered new memories in Faye's head. Spike in anguish. Being with Gren._

_It was her turn to snap her head up. "Julia..?!"_

_"It's a common name." Julia reminded Faye of her own words. Pulling up to the spaceport garage, Julia turned off the engine. Faye stepped out. "I'm glad I met you." she stated with a smile._

_Faye looked at Julia a confusion settled on her face. "Me too. Um, have I seen you somewhere...?" Faye asked her images of Gren's apartment flashing through her mind. She was searching for the photos on the wall but she couldn't see them._

_"If.. you see Spike again.. Tell him that I will be waiting there." She paused. "He'll know what I mean. Tell him that I'll keep waiting..." Julia looked off in the distance._

_"Why..?" Faye was confused beyond belief. This woman, Julia, she had the connection with Spike. Her Spike. Well not her Spike, but the Spike she knew and was falling for._

_"Good-bye, Faye Valentine." Julia stated coldly before she sped off._

_"Why! Why do you know?!" Faye yelled after her as the picture she finally was searching for came into focus._

The man finally looked to where his new brides eyes were at. His Matching blonde hair was flat against his face. Faye smiled at herself and looked away. How she could compare this woman to the one that a hold over the owner of her own heart. This man was nothing like the one she once knew.

_"Wait!" Faye yelled after Spike as she chased him into the hanger. He swiftly jumped into his Swordfish. "Wait a Minute!" She yelled again._

_"I don't have any money." Spike threw back as he started going through the swordfish start up._

_"She said she'll be waiting there. She said you'd understand." She said confused by her own words._

_  
Spike looked down at her, confusion written all over his own face. "I don't get it."_

_She sighed. "It was from a woman name Julia." Spike was boring his off colored eyes into her. "Someone was after her.. They were chasing her.." Faye didn't have time to finish._

_"Jet I can go at any time." Spike said before he took off. Leaving Faye to watch after him._

"Spike.." Faye whimpered. Shaking her head she looked back towards the blonde. She had already walked off. Conversations around her flowed and music began to grow slower as she began to nurse her drink again. Her head finally caught up to her thoughts. The only things she could think about were the things she should be trying to forget. This new thing with that Lancaster guy didn't hurt her as much as she thought it would. It shocker her more than anything. Her life now was fine. Sure she has barely dented her debt and the one man she felt she could ever love a natural way was good and dead, but she was working on fixing those. If that crash didn't happen what would have become of her. That is what bothered her most now, that she knew it could have been prevented. Would she have married someone like Kane, had lots of babies. Would she have even lived past twenty? What about her life now. Could she really think of a life without this technology or bounty hunting, or even the small non-family family she has.

Downing her drink she stepped behind the counter. Rinsing her glass out she filled it with water. Kane stepped behind her. "You ok, you look kind of pale?" he asked with an obvious concern.

Smiling Faye turned her eyes down, catching a card. "Yeah..I'm fine." She was distracted by the card. Picking it up she read the front.

DETECTIVE HUNTER TINSLEY.

The digits and name are not what crossed her mind first. It was that her name was on the back. And above her own name Spikes was written with a large X through it.

_** IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET WEIRDER COWGIRL**_

**Hey Guys, sorry it took so long to update. I was entirely too busy this summer. Also transfering school takes a lot out of a person. I'm only so so happy with this chapter. Let me know what you think. I know it's short and doesn't make too much sense but I think it will later on give it time.**

**The song used in this chapter was Inconsolable by Jontha Brooks. I'll try and have an update again sometime soon. I still have no idea how this story is going to end up I'm posting as I write. So when I know you will.**

**-RP**


	6. Lithium

Flipping the card between her fingers Faye walked towards the ship. The beaten up exterior matched her interior. Pulling herself up on the deck she hit her two way. "Hey Ed."

"Faye-Faye!" The girl giggled on the other line. Edward..Francois, whatever the girl was called these days always made Faye smile. "What can I help you with today," she sing-songed.

Faye sat for a minute in thought. What did she want her to search for? Connections or Tinsley? "Can you do a search on Hunter Tinsley, he's a detective." Start from scratch connections would pop up eventually. Ed would Find them. She always did. Faye couldn't help going back to Spikes name being crossed out. This detective had already known a lot about her. He knew of Jet being called Black Dog. He wanted to meet on Friday. Maybe he's just after info. "Anything Yet Ed?"

The child was growling through the mic as her face focused on the screen. Faye laughed, "Ok Ed I'll be inside in a bit." Flipping off her two way she sat and watched the water.

Her toes grazed the water as she stretched. "Hey! Hey you! Let go of my purse. Someone help!" A woman shrilled in the background. Faye's head snapped up as she hopped back off the ship. Heading to towards the noise her hand covered her glock. Rough movements were heard. Grunts were exchanged. Faye was on the edge of the fight as the woman grasped her purse. "Thank you young man. How can I repay you?" the elder lady said wide eyed. The man she was speaking too was too concealed behind the corner of the building. Faye edged further.

"S' no problem. Just hold on tighter to that purse." That voice. The cocky edge. Faye began to run again towards the lady. The woman was already turned walking towards the other direction calling all of the people she knew. Faye turned the corner and began to speed up. No green tinted tufts of hair. No cocky smiles or lanky frames. Slowing her pace Faye stopped at a convenient mart resting her legs "Thanks," the voice said.

Faye lifted her eyes towards the door, watching the lanky figure stroll out of the door. Tossing a quarter in the air he turned his head and smiled at Faye before catching it again. He turned and began to retreat in the other direction. Faye's legs went weak. Her throat went dry as he walked on. She slowly started up, her legs finally moving. She mouthed the words but nothing came out. Her speed picked up as she caught up to him.

"Spike!" She yelled the word finally finding a voice. He still didn't stop. "Spike Stop!" She called again as she was behind him. The lunkhead turned looking at Faye. She was trying hard not to cry.

"Lady who the hell is Spike?" The man said. Her head jerked up to be staring into blue eyes. They weren't even different hues of blue. His short nose ended above thick lips. His hair lacking any amount of a green tint was curly and cut short. His lanky figure wore a white t shirt and jeans. "Huh? Who is he? Do you need help?"

Faye turned to walk back towards the ship. Hands in her pockets she felt for the card and pulled it out. The written names danced on the card. "No. He's a ghost. Nothing but a ghost," Faye said her heels clicking on the street.

* * *

The light scattered across the room. His thoughts couldn't stay in check. He wasn't so sure he wanted them to. When he kept himself crazy he could ignore the pain he left behind. Vicious sacrificed himself to keep him on this plane. He needed to get out and figure his life.

"Are you sure about this Mr. Spiegal? The offer will never stand again. Even though your the best situated to do the job we can't force you." The elder man looked at Spike as he watched the sky from his room window.

"I'm positive. I want out for life. I did you a favor. Return one to me. Let me be." Spike answered tracing shapes into the fog he left on the window.

"I see. Fine. We'll draw your papers up tomorrow. Your free from us. Don't make us regret it." the man said turning slightly slamming the door behind him.

Spikes eyes searched the sky. He gave the stars two options. If a star fell he would have his answer.

* * *

Throwing his jacket across the bed, he gathered all the paperwork and dumped it on the desk. His hand loosened his tie as he flipped on the tv. An old soccer match was on. His answering machine beeped The green light was taunting him. Pressing the button he reached inside the fridge for a beer.

"You have two new messages and one saved message. Saved message. Listen bud that case is closed now drop it if you can't.. Message deleted," the machine said as Detective Tinsley pointed his finger down hard.

"First new message. Hunter, call me back. You like totally disappeared or something. My sister Judy was telling me she saw you hanging all over some bartender you better.. Message deleted." Hunter had enough of that cows shit. Always calling. They had broken up three months ago. Same old shit with her.

"Next message. Detective we had a deal and you said it would be finished by Tuesday. You have til next Friday to seal it."

The message went to the saved box as Hunter chugged his beer back. Falling into his lay-z-boy he finished his beer. His eyes drifted off to a wall. The room was dirty. Pizza boxes were scattered around. Old records from the 20th century were scattered on the floor. Papers mixed with the records. Water leaked from the roof neatly on to a fallen stack of poker chips.

A cat meowed outside his window bringing Hunter out of his trance. Grabbing the small binder on his coffee table he opened another beer. A picture of the bebop crew was taped to the starter page. Each name labeled to it's owner. Flipping through the photos he passed the bounty-hunters. That weird girl and old Black Dog Jet. He even had a page set up for that damn data dog Ein. He finally reached the two he began to know like family. He had read their profiles, which were at least 20 pages a piece, near a hundred times.

The man was first. His profile shot of his face was flattering. Hunter enjoyed learning of this man. He was almost a hero to him. The way he took down so many men in the matter of an hour. Not to mention the fox from his past that chased him. He had a past woman and a future woman, both he gave up one way or another. Flipping through the last pages he marked down new notes.

Hunter flipped the page studying the womans features. She was angry in this photo. Her eyebrows clinched together. Tinsley chuckled. The woman was even hotter in person. He wanted her. Eyes flicking to the answering machine and back to her face. He flipped to her last page and tried to write down the million new thoughts he had of her. How she moved, her gun, how she used her beauty. Three words stuck out.

"Friday, Golden Halo."

**_FIND AN ANSWER COWBOY_**

**Yeah its a new update. It's only been near a year. Sorry about that by the way. The song was Lithium by Evanesence. And out of all honesty I want to appologize for this chapter. I know its short and I dont think its very good. Maybe a bit rushed. Anyways Id love to know how my story is going and where you guys think it might be headed. Never know one of your ideas could end up in it. **

**RP**


	7. Sparks

She sat on the bridge of the boat, her legs dangling by the water. The moonlight put that healthy violet tint into her hair. Her big toe sank into the water. Her green eyes seemed almost dull. At least they did from where he was at. His hands raked his hair as he turned around. Not yet. He needed to live alone before he could go back. If he could go back If he was even welcomed back. Putting his hands in his pockets he walked towards his motel.

He had found them. It had taken a couple of days, but he had done it. He walked slow in fear of awakening a past he wasn't quite ready to awake. She looked content. Surprisingly she wasn't wearing that yellow two piece. She looked more conservative. Stronger. The image drifted into his head. The black skirt that pooled around her womanly figure. The red sweater he did recognize. The wind picked up her long hair. It had taken him quite a bit to even realize it was her. The only thing that confirmed is when he saw the green in her eyes.

He smiled pushing the limp out of his leg. Spike pulled out his pack of cigarettes lighting one up. He should stop but he won't. Not til he was filled up again.

The streets grew dirtier as he drifted away from the resort area. Homeless people began mulling around. He tossed one the coin he held in his pocket to one laying in a doorway.

The hospital didn't want to let him go. The nurses had grown accustomed to him and the doctors sided with the elders. Neither of them wanting him to pick up his life before the attack. They are worried about him starting up more trouble now. They asked him to stay. Pick up where Mao left off. Fix what Viscious started. His answer was a strong no and he stood by it. Taking another drag of his cigarette he stood outside the building watching the decaying sunset.

Spike stubbed his cigarette out and walked through the nearly rotted doorway. Hands folded behind his head he strolled past the seed men in the lobby. Some with too beautiful of woman. It was practically a brothel, but for having no money it would do.

That nurse at the hospital, Rhonda, helped a lot. She was the one that helped Spike find them. Her husband worked with computers. Nice fellow that reminded him of his own computer genius. She also gave him some money. He didn't ask for it but he never refused. She gave him enough to get his swordfish from impound, to get to Saturn, and a little extra for things like a motel and food. All he would have to do is visit with his family he talked so much about. Spike liked Rhonda a lot. She was motherly. Reminded him of Annie.

After waiting for five minutes the elevator finally ended in the lobby. Climbing aboard Spike felt the cables tug. It slowly raised him to his room on the fifth floor.

BEEP. Spike looked down at his belt. The communicator freely swung there. He grabbed at it to read the screen. The call was coming in from the Bebop. He sucked in a breath debating on answering. Unlocking his door he strolled inside hitting his answer button awaiting Jets booming voice. "Spike-Person?" a small quiet and possibly hurt voice came from the monitor instead. His eyes were wide. How did he answer. "Are you there Spike?" it got even quieter.

"Yes Ed I'm here." He said rubbing his forehead. This wasn't how this was supposed to go down. A squeal could be heard over the link. "Ed hush. Jet and Faye aren't by you are they?" he asked the girl.

"No Jet-Person is in his bonsai room knitting and Faye-Faye went to work for awhile," she countered. Spike decided not to question about Jets new habits. "Spike-person do you want me to get Jet-person?"

He thought about it for a minute. Weighing the options was in serious need. "No, not now Ed. T hey don't now about me yet. How about we have our own secret about me being back?" Spike asked her hoping she'll see the false game in it.

"I..I think I can do that." She answered with a smile. She talked in first-person. Spike was surprised. Had they really changed that much in almost seven months? "Ed loves secrets." She said with a small yip. Guess Not.

Spike sunk to the bed. "Hey Ed, how did you find me?" he pondered to her. The only people who knew of him being alive were the people from the hospital and they would never leak info.

"Ed was searching for someone for Faye-Faye. He's a tricky fellow. Anyways! While searching through planets your light was blinking on Mars. Ed watched the green light for days until it finally landed on Saturn!" Spike was confused and it was written all over his face. Sighing loudly in an annoyed fashion she explained further. "Each of the Beboppers have a light tied to us. Yours is green. Faye-Faye's is purple. Remember when I did that scan to try something new. This is the something new." Spike was impressed. The girl had out shined herself once again.

"Who did Faye want you to get info on?" was she still bounty hunting? Ed says she was at work Maybe that was it. No the info Rhonda had given him had said the Bebop was docked on Saturn for Faye. That she was connected here some how.

"She was looking for thee Detective Tinsley!" Ed announced giggling at her short rhyme. That name hit someone where in Spike as he heard the child's laugh but he could not figure where and what. The feeling weighed down on his stomach. "Finding info on him is hard Spike-Person. Ed can't find any dirt." She broke him from his thoughts. This had intrigued him though. Everyone has dirt.

"What do you mean Ed," Spike asked needing clarity. He laid back on the bed watching the ceiling fan blades rotate.

"Ed means that this Tinsley has a good rep. Faye-Faye wanted bad news for him." Spikes eyes closed as he tuned in. The frustrating was begin to settle inside him. "A couple of days ago I gave her what I found and she asked for more." That was puzzling, Faye was looking for trouble and not Vice-Versa?

"What's with this guy? Why is Faye wanting bad luck?" Spike asked becoming concerned. A new trait he was beginning to strongly dislike.

Ed looked at spike through the communicator. "I don't know Spike-Person. Faye asked m.m.me to search for o.o..one Detective Hunter A. Tinsley," Spikes eyes jerked open and towards the cam, "and she only wanted bad info." Images flooded into Spikes head as he tuned Ed out.

_The younger boy in the room looked up at him as he showed a room of young men how to handle a gun. His gold flecked eyes watched Spike's movements. Spike gave a final nod to the class dismissing them to go about the rest of their day. Siting back on the steps of Red Chain Manor he began smoking a fresh cigarette his eyes watching the horizon._

"_Spike?" a young voice asked jerking him out of his thoughts._

_Spikes eyes stopped on the boy. The hunched frame reminded himself too much of himself. "Hey Hunter, whats up?" Spike asked watching him._

"_Why did you become a Red Dragon?" The boy asked looking down towards Spikes gun belt._

_Sitting there, Spike pondered the question. "Same reason you have decided to I guess. Both born into the center. It's all I have ever known. Just like you." Spike took a long drag of his cigarette. "Why do you ask?"_

_Hunter sat upon the steps besides Spike. "I was just wondering how long I will be here, or f it was destined for me to be here." He scratched the back of his neck showing the bruises on his arm. Spikes eyes loomed over them. He got those from the room. Vicious. He was going hard on the boys again._

"_Look Hunter, I've been here for twenty-two years, my entire life. Your a good kid and smart too. You handle your weapons and tactics at an accelerated speed." He paused watching the boys facial expressions, "I haven't seen another kid rival mine and Viscious' records like you do."_

_Hunter stood and walked inside. "Thanks Spike." Spike watched as he retreated even more confused that when the conversation started._

Spike was gripping the two way so tight he might have busted it. "Ed when did she want this info by?" he asked gathering his leather coat back into his arms.

"Hmm...well today Ed supposes. Faye-Faye is meeting him later at work." Ed said eyes searching the screen for Spikes.

Spike was already out his door. "Where is her job located at Ed?" He asked putting his gun back into it's holster.

"Thee Golden Halo by the Bebop. Spike-Person are you going to tell Faye-Faye?" she wondered out loud.

"Maybe, all I know is I'll be back tonight. Thanks Ed," he said clicking off the com as he entered the elevator. The pit in his stomach grew deeper. He couldn't figure out if it was from emotions running loose or from the pure fear his memories were giving him again.

--

"He said no, and you just let him say no?" A voice behind a chair said. Randolph was becoming very very nervous. What could he say. No matter what his ass was fired. Or even worse dead.

"Well Sir we couldn't really force him into agreeing to do it. You saw what happened the last time we tried to force him into one of our plans." Randolph answered standing his ground.

The chair turned. Black narrow eyes sparked. "Then we'll just have to find a way to make him agree with free will."

"Sir your not saying we should use them again are you? We did it last time without him knowing and look at the destruction he slammed through our building. What do you think he'll do to us when he does know we are using them?" Randolph answered his exterior breaking down.

The man turned watching the traffic. "I think he'll agree easily."

**_WATCH OUT COWBOY_**

**I told you guys I had written a lot and I actually should have another chapter in by tomorrow. The song is Sparks by Coldplay. And Im still in development of this story. I had a huge writers block which explains the reasoning between the long distance between updates. But as my summer break is approaching I should have more time to write.**

**RP**


	8. Sandpaper Kisses

The glow of a dying sun had fallen around the bar. Dusk light filtered in through the shades covering the massive view windows. The place was fairly empty for an evening night, particularly one on a Friday.

Faye sat with her back against the long bar. Kane and Red worked slowly behind her and the other frequent customers. Timelessly Kane made idle chit chat towards her. _He never gives up_, she smiled. The band was playing some slow tune. Sounded like a funeral march straight from New Orleans. When there was one at least. The brass instruments were reflecting the light into her eyes causing her to be memorized by both elements the band itself was putting off.

"Er..Faye?" Red had called behind her. Turning her head back slightly she saw the same light reflect against his bronzed hair. What was it about moping around at this place that made her feel stoned? His Irish accent matched his look, although Faye also felt it was a fake. Most of Ireland, and the rest of the world, had faded out after the crash. He was an actor, and this was the new LA

Her head moved up towards the monitors catching the end of some soup opera. The overly dressed woman was crying over a weakling of a man. Sighing she got this over with, "Yeah Red?" The question he was about to ask was one she knew that was just bound to be asked.

Wiping his towel across the glass top he asked it, "Why you 'ere on your lonesome?" His accent had gotten worse as he tried to pull it out. She wouldn't be here all on her own for long. That weasel Tinsley was meeting up with her. She just hoped Ed had the info for her first.

Flashing that white smile, "I'm meeting someone here tonight. Young guy, black hair, golden eyes. If someone asks for me, let me know." She turned around as he nodded. That smile always killed them.

The band began to turn towards a fevered number and the couples that were once sitting in booths were now dancing in a small crowd. Among those dancers was the same newlywed couple. The smiles that had plastered on their faces looked forced. Faye checked the clock on the wall. It was getting late and Tinsley was nowhere in sight. Ed still hadn't called, she usually took hours to find info on someone and it had already been days.

Booths and tables scattered around the bar were empty. The dancers began some tango with the seductive music. Blue and red tinted dressed flowed together. Looking down at her own attire Faye took note of her black slacks and turquoise top. The insecure feeling was beginning to flood back to her like it did when she first woke up. Over the past months she had become more modest since her memories had flooded back to her. She was stuck. She was still Faye Valentine but now she was Faye Norai as well. At least she thought she was. Provocative and conservative. A cheat and an honest woman. Lost and found. It did not phase her how different her personalities were. She felt as though both women were inside of her constantly fighting one another to be let out. She could be considered crazy technically, except she does not actually talk to herself like a friend, usually.

The seduction song had ended and Red threw on a prerecorded playlist behind the bar. Loud beats brought new faces into the crowd. More people began to pour into the bar and soon enough Faye had tourists and business men to the left and right of her. She looked back at Kane and pointed to her drink. If Tinsley was not here by the end of this drink she was gone.

"Go out and dance will ya, you're making me nervous just sitting here at the bar," Kane finally let out. Faye dropped her eyes to her now full glass. "Don't worry I'll put it under the bar. Better watch it Faye we're getting too protective of you." Kane smiled with a wink as he reached for her glass. Smiling her thanks she stood and stretched her torso up.

Making her way across the not so-little-anymore crowd she came upon the middle. Faye shut her eyes and moved towards the beats. She usually never liked to be by herself dancing but she felt freer doing this. More so than in the past year at least. Every time a man came near her to dance she would turn away. She was being watched and she could feel it all over her body. She had always received this feeling but now it was very strong. The boys behind the bar kept glancing at her. Still no Tinsley though.

The rhythm turned slow again. Faye began to make her way towards the bar. This was still too depressing to be on a dance floor imagining someone in your head and not having them to hold you to a romantic song. Her wrist was caught on something much alike a hand as it tugged back. Before she could argue the object had pulled her into its arms for a dance.

"Didn't think I forgot about you did I?" That voice made her grow red hot with anger. Turning she put on a pretty smile.

"No, not at all," she was going to have to play the stupid game. "It is getting late though, so we might have to cut this short," she firmly stated as Hunter gripped her right hand and waist tighter. The contact was too personal and Faye was beginning to grow agitated, "Would you mind if we sat down?"

Hunter broke with a smirk on his face taking her back to a quiet table in a corner. He let her slide in first before he sat directly across from her. She gave him a loose smile. "So Faye, you know I asked you to meet me here. I need your help with an ongoing investigation I have been working on for some time now, "Hunter began to explain. Faye just nodded her head urging him to continue. "A man you that you had caught a couple months ago is dead now. He was kind of small and jittery and of a weird persona," Hunter noticed the bored look on her face. "Anyways this guy as you know was a part of a terrorist ring for Mars. You caught him before any damage was really done but actually you have caused a whole hell of a lot more." Faye started to open her mouth to argue but Hunter cut her off. "Not against your fine character of course, but this man was in league with some heavy hitters. A couple names you may recognize." Hunter pulled out a sheet and slid it across the table.

Faye looked up towards the crowd. She felt eyes on her again. Scanning she saw Red up at the bar, he nodded towards her. Brining her eyes towards the list she saw some big timers, no one too large. "So what does this all have to do with little ol' me Detective Tinsley? I understand about the bounty connection, but really what do you need me for?" Her com beeped. "Can you hold that thought and excuse me for a moment?" Hunter nodded and Faye gathered herself and stepped to a quiet part of the bar. "Hey Ed, what have you got for me?" Finally the girl pulled through.

"Faye-Faye! Detective Tinsley is no Tinsley he's really a Rockwell!" Faye's eyes widened, that was the last bounty's last name. The same bounty he was just questioning her about.

"Any heavy hits? Bounties?" Faye said touching her gun under her loose blouse.

"Faye-Faye he's a bad one. He's wanted for murder and sexual assault. He really is a detective but his station knows nothing of a Rockwell. His bounties high though and Ed is hungry," the child half moaned.

Faye pondered "Thanks Ed." She tucked her com away. How was she going to stop this man? She couldn't just do it herself she would lose her job if it happened here. Making her way back she noticed Hunter was watching her. His eyes filled with Hunger.

"Hey Hunter I know I said I had some time but I have an emergency at home want to walk a lady home?" she said adding a lustful smile at the end. Maybe he would think she was after his package if she got him on her home turf first.

Hunter looked up a glint in his eye, "Of course Faye." Climbing out of the booth he hooked his arm around her waist to guide her out.

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**_GIVE HIM HELL COWGIRL_**

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**Readers,**

**I want to completely apologise for taking this long to get the next segment of the story out. Bunch of stuff happened from losing my notebook I had been writing it, a large writers block, as well as traveling! Yes I traveled the world this past summer. Well the world as in from the North America to Asia. Amazing! ALSO I want to stress a kind thanks to everyone who has reviewed and left kind words. It really makes me happy that even after almost two years I still have fans on this story who appreciate it the same way. As well all critisms are taking to heart. LET ME KNOW HOW YOU REALLY FEEL. Song is Sandpaper Kisses by Martina Topley Bird. Beat fits what I feel as what I was imagining when I was writing about the dancing as well as I feel it shows Fayes emotions as in. **


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